Canada seeks closer tour ties with China

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The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) officially introduced the Canada-China Inbound Tour Operator Registration Program to the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame at its annual convention which kicked off Tuesday in Ottawa.

Canada and China have shared deep ties in tourism for many years. TIAC President and CEO Charlotte Bell said since Canada was granted Approved Destination Status (ADS) in 2010, the ADS program has grown significantly, and now includes 83 registered Canadian receptive tour operators across the country.

Lake Moraine in Banff National Park Alberta, Canada /VCG Photo

Building on the momentum of the ADS program, in 2016, TIAC launched the Canada-China Tourism Advancement program to further help the Canadian tourism industry be more China-ready. A strategic partnership with China UnionPay began three years ago is still going strong, including our Town Hall series and robust China readiness training.

Since the ADS program was implemented, inbound Chinese arrivals to Canada have grown from 200,000 travelers a year, to more than 694,000 in 2017, making China the second largest inbound market to Canada. The program has been one of the catalysts for the success of this market segment.

Belle said it is necessary to recognize contribution made by the program and the tour operators across Canada and formally pay tribute to the program at the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame.

An aerial view of Toronto, Canada /VCG Photo

The ADS program will be the first large-scale programming initiative ever inducted into the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame by TIAC.

Celebrating these milestones is even more important before approaching the close of the 2018 Canada-China tourism year, Bell added.

She said this year has been very exciting for the tourism industry, and TIAC has led more businesses through China readiness training than ever before.

"But we do not consider this to be an ending but rather a continuation of the great work we've accomplished together between both countries."

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency