OTTAWA – China has granted Canada Approved Destination Status (ADS), a designation that makes it easier for Chinese nationals to visit Canada.
“Approved Destination Status marks a significant moment in the history of our relations with China, indicating not only our mutual commitment to strengthening our diplomatic and commercial partnerships, but also our people-to-people ties,” said Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was speaking in Beijing.
Approved Destination Status allows Chinese travel agents to advertise and organise group tours to countries with the designation.
In 2008, visits to Canada by Chinese citizens were up 5.3 per cent from the year before, for a total of 159,000.
Chinese travellers had the highest average length of stay (28 nights) in Canada and spent more than visitors from any other country.
According to a Conference Board of Canada survey, ADS is expected to boost the yearly rate of travel to Canada from China by up to 50 percent by 2015.
