Cameroon puts its best foot forward

　　The eyes of the Chinese turned to Cameroon recently during the Cameroon Tourism Business Forum, which kicked off in Beijing on April 13. On the table were not only discussions of the country's football, the most popular athletic pastime of the land, but also its many beautiful natural wonders and cheerful people.

"Football is undoubtedly a great ambassador of the country, but besides football, we will greet visitors from all over the world with open arms to our palm-fringed beaches, rainforests and cities," said Bello Bouba Maigari, Minister of State for Tourism and Leisure, in the opening ceremony of the forum. The hope is that Cameroon will attract more than 3,500,000 visitors annually by 2035.

　　However, to visit a foreign country without the extra cost and hassle of obtaining a visa is a bonus for any traveler, especially Chinese, whose passports often require visas for most countries they wish to visit. "Thus we are planning to streamline and expedite the visa process for Chinese travelers; arrival visas will be considered in the near future," said Bouba Maigari.

　　Cameroon has geared up for a strong influx of Chinese tourists and China's fast-growing tourism market. In order to welcome warmly Chinese visitors, the government has already started to offer Chinese language courses at schools to encourage local people to learn Chinese.

　　They are also going to train more tour guides to speak Chinese, have more sign posts in Chinese and even the restaurant menus will be standardized into Chinese, according to Martin Mpana, Cameroon Ambassador to China.

　　Located in the Gulf of Guinea and referred to as "Africa in miniature," Cameroon's charm lies in its varied geography.

　　The north contains vast savannas, whereas the southern part is the home of dense tropical forest. Mount Cameroon, an active volcano with a recent eruption on February 3, 2012, attracts explorers continuously. Meanwhile, being famous for its abundant mammal and wildlife, Waza National Park is a must visit place for animal lovers.

　　If all of these haven't exhausted you, enjoying the home-grown makossa music or screaming for The Indomitable Lions, the national football team, with a cold beer in hand is another way to experience Cameroon.