New developments involving China include the country’s announcement that leisure travelers can now visit Canada and an ambitious hotel building plan by InterContinental Hotels.
“The process of Approved Destination Status, a travel agreement between China and Canada, began in December 2009. With ADS, Chinese nationals are now permitted to travel to Canada for leisure purposes in addition to business, study, or to visit friends and relatives,” said Tulene Steiestol, senior manager, travel media relations.
Effective immediately, travel to Canada has become easier and Chinese travel agents can begin promoting and organizing group tours to Canada.
“Banff Lake Louise Tourism has been preparing for the emergence of the Chinese travel market for several years and even more so as ADS discussions advanced last December” said Julie Canning, president and CEO of Banff Lake Louise Tourism.
Banff Lake Louise Tourism and its members have been actively engaged in laying groundwork for this market by conducting educational China workshops, attending in-market events and developing key relationships with Chinese travel trade and Chinese tour operators.
Furthermore, in partnership with Dragon Trail Social Media & Digital Marketing Services, Banff Lake Louise Tourism today launched a Chinese consumer website http://china.banflakeouise.com.
Meanwhile, InterContinental Hotels, the world’s biggest hotelier, plans to more than double in size in China in the next five years.
This is “a move which will give a major boost to its performance,” according to Reuters.
The British group operates Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza brands as well as InterContinental. It currently runs 131 hotels in China with a further 146 in its pipeline, and will open 30 this year in the world’s most populous nation.
"We are very optimistic about China for the rest of the year, and we are certain China will have a material impact on the group in the coming years," InterContinental Chief Executive Andrew Cosslett told Reuters.
The hotel market in China has improved since late 2009, reflecting a pick up in economic growth helping to boost the hotelier’s $1 billion Chinese business and leading the global hotel industry out of recession into slow growth.
By David Wilkening
