Calgary can expect to see significant growth in the amount of Chinese tourists visiting our city beginning Friday.
China has given Canada approved destination status and the first wave of new Chinese tourists have already arrived.
The Approved Destination Status agreement means Chinese tour operators can promote Canada for package tours. The number of Chinese visiting Canada is expected to double, even quadruple in the next few years.
Four-hundred passengers with tour groups from Shanghai and Beijing arrived in Vancouver on Wednesday.
Those who arrived in Calgary today will tour the city then head west to see Banff and Lake Louise.
Tourism Calgary says the potential is unlimited.
“First we have to present the Canada brand, focus them down on Alberta and then Calgary. There’s a process we use to first make them aware of Canada as a destination, then interest them in the west and Alberta, then get them to come through the Calgary door,” says Randy Williams, President of Tourism Calgary.
In the past, the Chinese government has only allowed government or business travel to Canada.
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