The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is seeking to attract high-yield tourist arrivals from big Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, officials said on Monday.

"Using findings from an in-depth engagement with Chinese travel agencies, media as well as local travel partners, we have uncovered new insights on China's tourism trends that inform how we package our destination products and experiences to offer travelers more specialized and personalized experiences," Betty Addero Radier, chief executive officer of KTB said in a statement.

Last week, KTB organized the Kenya Trade Forum road show in China themed "Adventure Tour." It was attended by over 110 traders from key online travel agents including Ctrip.com, LY.com, and Tuniu and traditional as well as tailor-made travel agencies.

Radier said the aim of the forum was to demystify the perspective in the Chinese travel market that Kenya is a seasonal safari destination and instead position Kenya as an "all year magic" destination through intensive product training sessions to the Chinese travel agencies.

"China is an important source market for most destinations around the world given that it is the largest source market in terms of outbound numbers and expenditure. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa generally have a similar product offering which is the wildlife and beach product," Radier said.

She noted that it is critical for Kenya to differentiate itself in order to attract high-value Chinese tourists throughout the year.

Kenyan government data indicated that in 2018 Kenya received 81,709 arrivals from China, representing a 4.03-percent growth from the previous year.

Radier revealed that the number of inbound Chinese tourists is projected to increase from initiatives such as the direct link between the city of Changsha and Nairobi by one of China's biggest airlines, China Southern Airlines, which announced the deployment of its 330-200 Airbus twice per week to and from Changsha, with non-stop flights between Nairobi and Guangzhou on Monday and Friday.

According to the tourism agency, Chinese tourists spent an average of 3,064 U.S. dollars per person on location destination during their most recent overseas travels, excluding tour group costs and the major transportation costs to and from the destination.

KTB noted that the Chinese market is becoming more segmented with more diversity in travel habits as adventurous travelers are now interested in experiencing all aspects of a new destination including its cuisine and local culture.

"We are also working collaboratively with our local tour operators and traders on training their tour guides and their staff on the Chinese language and culture as well as implementing seamless customer experience for Chinese travelers from flight to departure within the destination," she added.

(Cover: A zebra at the Masai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya. /VCG Photo)