VANCOUVER, Dec. 31 — The first organized group tour from China to Canada since the resumption of outbound group travel arrived in Vancouver on December 31, marking the restart of group tourism between the two countries.
The delegation attended a meet-up at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, hosted by Destination Canada with support from Destination British Columbia.
China announced on November 3 that it would resume Approved Destination Status (ADS) group travel to Canada. The Vancouver group was organized by Shenzhen China International Travel Service New Scene and is the first self-organized tour to arrive in Canada following the policy change.
Officials and industry representatives from both countries attended the event, including Sebastien Dubois, executive director of industry partnerships at Destination Canada; Monica Leeck, market manager for Asia-Pacific and Mexico at Destination British Columbia; and Leona Zheng, global sales manager. Representatives from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver, Hainan Airlines, the Vancouver Airport Authority and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden were also present.
Acting Consul General Zeng Zhi said China resumed outbound group travel to Canada on November 3 and described the visiting delegation as the first group to arrive since the resumption. He said the group reflected growing interest in people-to-people exchanges and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Zeng also referred to a recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, during which the two leaders agreed to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges and encourage broader engagement between the two societies. He said the Chinese Consulate General in Vancouver would continue to work with Canadian counterparts to support travel exchanges and facilitate bilateral contacts.
Destination Canada said it has been working with industry partners to prepare for the return of Chinese group travelers, including through expanded air connectivity and tourism product development. Destination British Columbia said the province has readied a range of travel offerings for group visitors from China.
The meet-up was held at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, a long-standing site of cultural exchange between China and Canada.（CCTVmedium Reporter）
