Economy
Canada to send official mission to China to promote tourism
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-16 16:38
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VANCOUVER - Canada is due to send its first official tourism mission to China on Sunday after getting Approved Destination Status (ADS) from the Asian country.
The 40-strong delegation that includes provincial tourism ministers and tourism representatives from all 12 provinces and territories will travel to Shanghai and Beijing to promote the country as "a premier tourism destination."
During its five-day visit, the group led by Rob Moore, Canada's minister of state in charge of small businesses and tourism, will meet with Chinese officials, key tourism leaders and media.
Calling it an "important milestone" to be able to market Canada directly in China, Moore said that it is essential that the ADS program be handled correctly.
"We are really embracing the opportunity. After signing ADS it is important that we do not rest but continue to make sure that we have accessibility, that we have promotion and that we continue to respond to the needs of the Chinese tourists," he said.
"One of the most important things that we have to do to market ourselves is to make sure that when Chinese tourists return to China, they tell their friends and families that they had a great time and encourage them to visit as well."
Canada gained the ADS last December during Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to China, making it easier for Chinese nationals to visit the North American country. The approval was finalized during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Canada in June.
The first group of 381 Chinese ADS tourists arrived at Vancouver International Airport on Aug 18.
Last year, about 160,000 Chinese tourists arrived in Canada independently. Now with the ADS agreement in place, the Conference Board of Canada, a research think tank, forecasts that the number could jump by at least 50 percent within a few years.
Moore said the government thought the forecast "could be conservative."
"What we've seen in other countries, if they do things right, after signing ADS they can see a dramatic increase in the number of visitors. We have to remember that ADS is an important milestone. It expands our ability to market, it expands the number of people who would be able to come to visit Canada and in doing so it provides us wonderful opportunities. So we expect to see a significant increase," he said.
Moore said Canada was spending C$5 million ($4.95 million) on marketing campaigns in China this year, up from C$1.3 million last year.
While in China, the delegation, which includes tourism ministers from British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland/Labrador, is participating in Showcase Canada-Asia 2010, a Canadian Tourism Commission event, and the Shanghai Expo.
"It wouldn't make sense for us to market Canada in China, to do tourism missions to China and then have too many barriers to people taking that step. That's why we are working on making sure that the visa is as accessible as possible," said Moore.
Another thing Canada wants to avoid is cheap package tours. Previous experiences, in some countries, have seen Chinese tourists housed in sub-standard accommodation and pushed into purchases at businesses collaborating with corrupt tour operators.
To date, the Tourism Association of Canada has approved more than 20 tourism operators to handle ADS travel.
"One of the things we can't allow to happen here in Canada is that the tourism experience be deluded, so that the Chinese tourist, who comes with expectations, doesn't have a good time and doesn't tell their friends to go to Canada," Moore said.
"That's why we are working as government, but we are also working with the industry, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. Not only are they working to get successful tourism companies registered under ADS, they are also doing the follow-up. So they are making sure that the tourist has a quality experience and the standard is at the level that should be expected."