Belt and Road to prompt rise in Chinese visitors

Located on the banks of the Nile, in the cradle of civilization, Sudan was home to several ancient Nubian kingdoms - from the Kush in about 1000 BC through to the Kerma, the Meroe, the Makuria and Nobatia, and lastly the Alodia, which endured until the early 16th century.

Today, the North African nation is working to attract more Chinese tourists to the many relics left by those old civilizations, as well as its modern resorts and Red Sea ports.

Ali Ahmed Hamid, the governor of Red Sea State, one of Sudan's 18 states, said proudly that his country not only offers relics, but also unique landscapes that combine deserts, seas and mountains.

China and Sudan have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote Sudan as a destination for Chinese tourists.

Awad Ahmed Al-Jaz, assistant to Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, said the government has paid special attention to the Chinese market and hopes that Sudan's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative will promote the development of its tourism industry.

The initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to better connect China with Africa, the Middle East and Europe, largely through investment in major infrastructure projects.

"Sudan is geographically important and a key channel for China, not only in terms of connecting with Africa, but also connecting with the Arab world," Al-Jaz said. "China and Sudan have made great progress on cooperation in the fields of oil and related sectors, and we hope such relations and cooperation will extend to the tourism industry."

According to Adil Hamid, the minister of tourism, antiquities and wildlife, Sudan is also looking into introducing preferential policies to attract more Chinese visitors.

"We're considering a move to simplify the procedures for Chinese who want to apply for a tourist visa," he said. "We will also have discussions on restarting direct flights from China to Sudan."

While the Sudanese government is busy developing its tourism industry, Chinese businesses are beginning operations in the country and helping to promote local tourism.

One example is the Nantong Hotel, which was established with funding from China's Nantong Construction and is now one of the best-known four-star hotels in downtown Khartoum.

"Nantong entered the Sudanese market in 1988, and business increased rapidly after 2005," said Pei Yonghong, the hotel's general manager. "When China launched the Belt and Road Initiative, the company was inspired, so we decided to start two tourism projects in Khartoum: one was the Nantong Hotel, the other was the River Nile Farming Resort in the nearby countryside."

The hotel, one of Sudan's earliest foreign tourism projects, employs 11 Chinese nationals and 22 people from Sudan, the Philippines and Ethiopia, he said, adding that about 60 percent of the guests are from China, while the rest come from Europe, Africa and other Arab countries.

Pei is in negotiations with Chinese travel agencies to explore the possibility of including Sudan in more African package tours.

"In light of the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Sudan will surely improve cooperation on tourism, and I believe our tourism business in the country will be successful," he said.