Ottawa, October 22, 2010 - The Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), and his provincial colleagues have concluded the first Canadian tourism mission to China, an effort intended to boost Canada's profile as a world-class destination for Chinese travellers.
Accompanied by provincial tourism ministers, officials and key industry members, the Minister of State spent five days meeting with Chinese government, industry and media representatives in Shanghai and Beijing.
"Sharing this experience with my provincial colleagues will help governments across Canada to better capitalize on new opportunities to expand tourism business with China," said Minister of State Moore. "We will work together to attract more Chinese visitors to Canada."
A key focus of the trip was maximizing the opportunities presented by Canada's new Approved Destination Status (ADS) with China. ADS allows Canada to market directly to Chinese travellers, whose numbers are estimated to grow by up to 50 percent yearly by 2015.
Minister of State Moore and the delegation participated in roundtable meetings with small business and tourism operators and industry representatives in both Shanghai and Beijing in an effort to better understand the needs of tourism groups and Chinese tourists. The Minister of State also participated in bilateral meetings with Chinese officials of the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration and Beijing Tourism Administration.
On October 19, the Minister of State and the delegation attended the Canadian Tourism Commission's Showcase Canada – Asia 2010, the most important tourism business development event for Canada in the region. This Showcase brought together tourism buyers and sellers from Canada, China, Japan, India and South Korea to network and make connections. Minister of State Moore and his provincial counterparts provided critical support to Canadian tourism businesses as they built relationships and secured international business deals.
"Our government is helping to create jobs and growth for Canadian businesses," said Minister of State Moore. "With a growing middle class, a booming economy and an increased outbound travel potential, the travel market in China presents great opportunities for further economic growth in Canada."
The delegation also met with Chinese government representatives and reinforced the importance of the bilateral relationship. They outlined the steps being taken by governments and industry to facilitate travel and ensure that, once on Canadian soil, Chinese visitors will be greeted with the best experiences in the world.
The delegation's tourism mission to China coincided with the 40th anniversary of Canada's relations with China. For more information on the activities of the Minister of State and delegation, please visit the tourism mission to China pages on the Industry Canada website.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Catherine Godbout
Office of the Honourable Rob Moore
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)
613-943-7023
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
