ITB China 2026: Ivory Coast opens up to the Chinese tourist market

On the sidelines of ITB China 2026, the largest B2B tourism trade show dedicated to the Chinese market, held from May 26 to 28 in Shanghai, Dr Klo Fagama, Director General of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry (DGITH) of Côte d'Ivoire, led a strategic meeting with international investors and experts in the sector. This edition of the show, which recorded a 20% increase in its exhibition area compared to the previous year and brought together more than 900 tourism organizations from 85 countries, demonstrates the world's growing interest in the Chinese outbound market. The meeting made it possible to explore new models of cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire and Chinese tourism stakeholders in the midst of technological change. The discussions highlighted the rise of B2B business tourism, driven by the internationalization of Chinese companies, as well as the exploitation of artificial intelligence and big data in the personalization of stays.