Agreement opens Canada for Chinese tour groups

BEIJING - Chinese tour groups are expected to soon be able to visit Canada on tourist visas, as the two countries are expected to sign final agreements on Thursday (Canadian time) during the G20 Summit in Canada.

A memorandum of understanding on enabling Chinese tour groups to visit Canada was expected to be signed on Thursday Canadian time, marking "an important moment in the bilateral history of tourism cooperation", Shao Qiwei, head of the National Tourism Administration of China, said at a meeting with his Canadian counterparts in Ottawa on Wednesday.

China granted Approved Destination Status (ADS) to Canada last December, but it usually takes a few months to draft implementation details.