Canada has begun a major advertising campaign to woo China’s big-spending travellers as the number of outbound tourists from the world’s most populous nation looks set to explode.
China estimates outbound travellers will rise to 100 million over the next decade, with the potential to generate an extra $300 million in tourism revenue for Canada by 2015, according to The Canadian Tourism Commission.
Canada was granted Approved Destination Status (ADS) in June 2010. The designation meant that the CTC could market Canada in China and compete on an equal footing with other …

Only a few weeks after finalizing its Approved Destination Status (ADS), Canada has already ranked the third most popular tourist destination among Chinese looking to travel abroad, according to a survey released Monday.
In a telephone poll of 1,080 people living in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the “Research Report on China’s Outbound Tourism Market” found Australia the most desired destination of prospective Chinese travelers, followed by Singapore and Canada.
The report was conducted jointly by the Vancouver-based SUCCESS Foundation, EMR International and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada,
Japan ranked fourth, just ahead …

Colombia and China on Wednesday signed a “memorandum of understanding,” which the Andean nation hopes will encourage the arrival of more Chinese tourists to its shores.
The agreement, which was signed in Peking, makes Colombia an approved tourist destination for Chinese citizens and facilitate the entry of Chinese tourists into the country.
Although there are still obstacles in the way of maximizing the benefits from the agreement, such as no direct air link between the countries, Luis Guillermo Plata, the Colombian minister of commerce, industry and tourism predicted a “boost” in tourism.
“Colombia …

Canada is rolling out the welcome mat for Chinese visitors now that it has secured its long awaited Approved Destination Status (ADS), but bargain-price trips won’t be among the offerings according to officials in the country’s tourism sector.
With Canada receiving the designation on Thursday during President Hu Jintao’s state visit to Canada ahead of the G20 summit in Ontario this weekend, Chinese tourists can now visit the country in organized, pre-sold tourist groups.
Canada joins a list of 130-plus nations and regions designated to receive Chinese travelers. However, unlike some earlier …

ADS was first introduced in the early nineties for destinations in Southeast Asia such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Prior to ADS, travelling abroad was only allowed for business purpose and official visits with government approval needed for every single visit. ADS policy was created to account for the growing interest of Chinese citizens in foreign travel and the fast increase in disposable income.
ADS is granted to overseas destinations through a bilateral government agreement. The ADS only concerns tourism groups handled by assigned Chinese local travel agencies. Business and official …