by Gano Souleymane, Chen Chen
China, a guest of honor at the inaugural African Tourism Market Exhibition, attracted significant attention on Wednesday with its pavilion showcasing Chinese cuisine, culture, and tourist destinations.
The exhibition, organized by Senegal’s National Agency for Tourism Promotion, features global tourism products, cultural performances, conferences, and professional networking opportunities.
The event also highlights Morocco, Gabon, The Gambia, Slovenia, and Türkiye as guest countries.
At the China pavilion in Dakar’s Grand Theatre, visitors sampled Chinese dishes, explored cookbooks in French, and viewed literature on Chinese civilization and cooking tools. Young Senegalese trained at the Confucius Institute of Cheikh Anta Diop University helped interpret and explain cultural practices.
“This is not simply a tasting session,” said Gao Jiahe, a Confucius Institute teacher at the pavilion. “Through food, objects, and explanations, we aim to give visitors a tangible sense of what a trip to China can offer — a blend of culture, heritage, and everyday life that creates a full tourism experience.”
Visitors appreciated the offerings. Dieynaba Hann said, “I tried the beef sauce, chicken, and coffee with milk. It was very well done. I really liked it.”
“The dishes were lightly seasoned, well dosed, well cooked, and easy to digest,” Abdoulaye Ba said.
The pavilion’s combination of culinary demonstrations and cultural displays aims to show how gastronomy and artifacts can help promote travel destinations. This approach offers practical ideas for African tourism professionals looking to diversify their offerings.
Senegal’s Minister of Culture, Handicrafts and Tourism Amadou Ba applauded the growing dynamism of tourism across Africa, calling it a “moment of renewal.”
Africa’s rich heritage offers unmatched potential for developing diversified and sustainable tourism, he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang highlighted the exhibition as part of efforts to develop the tourism sector.
Tourism cooperation between China, Africa, and Senegal is already yielding results and holds great potential, he said. “The Chinese side is ready to strengthen mutual promotion of destinations, deepen integration between culture and tourism, and inject fresh momentum into China-Senegal relations.”
With the exhibition running through Thursday, China’s pavilion remains one of the most popular, drawing thronging crowds eager to explore travel possibilities. Enditem
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