Golden beaches in Mauritius (COURTESY OF CHINA OFFICE OF MAURITIUS TOURISM PROMOTION AUTHORITY)

Mauritius welcomes more Chinese tourists and investors to visit and invest in the country, said Nandcoomar Bodha, Minister of Tourism and Leisure, at a press conference on September 3 in Beijing.

Bodha came to China along with a 30-member delegation of senior government officials and business executives from Mauritius led by President Anerood Jugnauth,  who attended the celebration of Mauritius' National Pavilion Day on September 1 at the Shanghai World Expo.

"Mauritius is an island nation with [a] dynamic economy, cultural diversity and beautiful natural [scenery], and we welcome Chinese to visit and invest here," said Bodha.

To promote its tourism resources, Mauritius plans to launch direct flights between the Chinese mainland and the island nation, according to the minister. Shanghai and Guangzhou will likely be the first destinations. Currently, there are three direct flights from Hong Kong to Mauritius every week.

"There are around 45 million Chinese traveling abroad every year, [but] in 2009, the number of Chinese visitors to Mauritius only amounted to 7,000. China is a huge potential market," said Bodha.

The number of Chinese tourists is expected to double by 2015, according to J. M. Simonet, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure.

Located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa, Mauritius is endowed with beautiful green mountain vistas, blue skies, bright sunlight, turquoise lagoons and golden beaches. In recent years, it has become a holiday destination for more and more Chinese.

"As a gateway to Africa, Mauritius is also a favorable place for Chinese investors who can manufacture products in the island country and export them to the African continent, the United States and Europe," said Bodha.

Mauritius is internationally recognized for its good governance, safe and business-friendly environment, said L. Amedee Darga, Chairman of Enterprise Mauritius at an investment and trade forum September 3. The country welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Mauritius, he added.