Feature: Kenyan tourism entrepreneur carves her niche in China

About two years ago, the China National Tourism Administration released statistics that made many people in the sector across the world begin to think hard.

About 100 million Chinese tourists were leaving the country every year to tour various parts of the world. The number made China one of the biggest source market for international tourists across the world.

Kenyan woman Sandra Rwese was among those who got interested in the startling figures. Rwese, who started learning Chinese in 2008 at the University of Nairobi Confucius Institute, and by then had started developing interest in the country, saw an opportunity in the business.

"Essentially, the statistics led me to believe this was the nation to focus on for the next 50 years. I researched further and discovered the greatest opportunity lay in mastering the language and helping non-Chinese tourism enterprises secure a strong customer base in the country," Rwese told Xinhua.

In 2013, noted Rwese, over 100 million Chinese tourists left their country to tour the world, and the number of the Chinese tourists will hit 200 million by 2020.

"The tourists, according to the figures I have seen from China Tourism Academy, spent 102 billion U.S. dollars in 2012, and in 2013, about 120 billion dollars. This means the Chinese are the future of global tourism. I believe I am in the right industry."

Rwese, who is currently based in China but comes to Kenya regularly, runs a social media tourism firm called Gulu and Hirst (G&H), and through this consulting firm, she links African companies in the tourism and hospitality sector to the Chinese market.

"I mainly work with non-Chinese outfits looking to secure a piece of this multimillion-dollar Asian market: mainly in advertising, tourism and banking. I help translate their digital content, develop sales strategies, rebrand products or services and provide cross-cultural training to fit Chinese preferences," said Rwese, 39, who is based in southern China's Xiamen City where she runs G&H after relocating from Kenya in 2013.

Her nascent company is also appointed to oversee daily social media functions on Sina Weibo, China's biggest social media platform, Instagram, and corporate websites.

"The Chinese are very inquisitive and keen to learn more about services we offer. The important thing for us as a company is the response time while dealing with them because China is so techno- savvy that as G&H we are always on the go," said Rwese.

However, not all is a smooth ride in China in the business and social fronts as Rwese outlines some of the challenges she encounters.

"The Chinese take time to trust independent consultants like myself. They prefer their own in-house staff, which doesn't work well when negotiating or communicating with non-Chinese," said Rwese.

"But all in all, they have been very supporting. I also admire the way they are hardworking: it is something I have embraced," said the entrepreneur, adding that her business with the Chinese has greatly improved her life.

"I am now an ardent fan of social media. I know what digital strategies will or won't work with customers. As such, I advise businesses accordingly, some advice which comes as a complete surprise to their management teams," she said.

Rwese observed that it is time ordinary Kenyans take a front- line role in fostering relation between Kenya and China.

"We need millions of speakers to cover every sector of the economy, from agriculture to sports, and especially finance, if we are to benefit from the Chinese," she said, noting Kenyans also need to embrace Chinese mandarin to enhance interaction with the Chinese.

"Kenyans should also watch Chinese television channels now available in the country to familiarise with China and the people. Many of my friends are Kenyans who speak Chinese. Basically, I make an effort to surround myself with language and customs and that is the way to go." Endi