TOURISM

The growing affluence of Chinese citizens – combined with easing visa restrictions – has led to significant growth in the number of Chinese tourists, who spent $258 billion on out-of-country travel in 2017.^[1] Destination Canada reported a record-breaking 737,000 visitors from China in 2017, up six percent from the year before and double the number from 2013.^[2] China is now Canada’s second-largest source of visitors, surpassing the UK, which historically was our second-largest source of visitors after the US.

The federal government is pushing to increase the number of Chinese tourists to the country. It declared 2018 the Canada-China Year of Tourism and Canada has opened additional new visa application centres in China to make it easier for Chinese visitors to apply for visas.

Destination Canada reports that July and August are the most popular months for a trip, with Chinese tourists spending an average of 31 nights in the country. A survey conducted by the agency in 2017 found that over 90 percent of visitors used a travel agent or tour operator to plan or book their most recent trip. Other information sources were friends and family, TV programs and travel brochures.

Areas of Growth

The Destination Canada Global Tourism Watch: 2017 China Public Summary Report notes that Chinese tourism will only continue to increase: “China alone accounts for one-quarter of all international tourism expenditure despite just 8.7% of Chinese citizens holding a passport. This suggests that room for growth in the country is still significant.”

Top vacation spots are Niagara Falls and Ottawa. The Destination Canada report found that iconic Canadian landscape (such as Niagara Falls and the Rocky Mountains) generally hold greater appeal for Chinese visitors than city destinations. The most sought-after holiday experiences are:

• visiting natural attractions
• trying local food and drink
• visiting historical, archeological or world heritage sites
• visiting nature parks
• viewing wildlife or marine life

These are seen as “trip anchor activities,” meaning that travellers are willing to structure a trip around them.

Opportunities for Canadian Organizations
The Destination Canada China Market Highlights – Facts at a Glance outlines two primary types of travellers that business may wish to target:

• Aspiring escapists who want all-inclusive authentic experiences where they can discover gourmet food and products made in Canada.
• Free spirits who want to participate in luxurious, iconic and niche experiences.

Businesses should take every opportunity to promote uniquely Canadian products and experiences. Products that are unique to Canada or made in Canada are in high demand, and restaurants and cafes should emphasize local, regional food and wine.

Similarly, Destination Canada sees opportunities for the Canadian tourism industry to leverage Chinese travellers’  interest in northern lights, fall colours, camping, and snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.

The conference and exhibition market should not be overlooked. In 2017, Toronto won a bid to host an Amway China conference for its top distributors and leaders in 2020, which is expected to bring 10,000 visitors and $80 million to the city.^[3]

March, 2019

^[1] Forbes, New Rankings Of The World’s Fastest-Growing Tourism Destinations, September 6, 2018..

^[2] Destination Canada, China Market Background.

^[3] Tourism Toronto, Toronto Wins Bid to Host the Largest Travel Delegation from China to Visit Canada, December 6, 2017.