麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Tourism industry expecting hit after China leaves Canada off approved travel list

Share

Canada has been left off China鈥檚 approved list of international destinations for tour groups, in an apparent political boycott.

This despite mainland China travel agents and tour groups, getting the green light to book post-pandemic travel to countries like the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

鈥淚 just think it's another blow to tourism business owners that have had a rough few years because of the restrictions related to the pandemic,鈥 said Beth Potter, president and CEO of Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

The Chinese Embassy in Canada says the decision to omit Canada from the list 鈥 released on August 10th 鈥 was in objection to recent political tensions between Ottawa and Beijing.

鈥淟ately, the Canadian side has repeatedly hyped up the so-called 鈥楥hinese interference,鈥 and rampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words are rising significantly in Canada.鈥 the Chinese Embassy wrote to 麻豆影视 in a statement.

鈥淭he Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the safety and legitimate rights of overseas Chinese citizens and wishes they can travel in a safe and friendly environment.鈥

China knows its citizens carry economic weight, as mainland Chinese tourists spend more than any other country鈥檚 tourists when abroad. In 2019, Chinese tourists spent US$255 billion around the world, with tour groups estimated to account for roughly 60 per cent of that.

In the past, these tours brought tens of thousands of Chinese tourists to experience popular sites like Banff National Park or Niagara Falls each year.

鈥淚 can tell you we are high on their list of places that they want to visit,鈥 Jim Diodati, mayor of Niagara Falls, told 麻豆影视, adding that he wants the Canadian government to hammer out a diplomatic solution with Beijing.

鈥淚 do believe that it's largely political, and I think it can be fixed through political means,鈥 said Diodati.

In 2018, a record 757,000 Chinese travellers came to Canada, and spend C$2 billion, according to Statistics Canada.

In December that same year, Canadian authorities arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on behalf of U.S. officials.

That set off a chain of events that resulted in two Canadians being detained by China and Canadian agricultural exports being blocked by Beijing. Most recently, China has also been accused of meddling in Canada鈥檚 democratic process.

Potter hopes China will include Canada on the time it updates its approved travel list, but notes its members are preparing alternatives.

鈥淚t means that Canada as a Canadian tourism industry is going to have to look at other markets,鈥 said Potter. 鈥淚n order to fill the gap that will be left by China.鈥 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected