Winter has long been considered the off-season for tourism in Canada, but this winter, with the launch of ice and snow activities as well as polar tourism products, the country’s travel appeal has rapidly surged. According to reports, major domestic travel agencies such as CYTS, China International Travel Service (CITS), China Eastern Airlines International Travel Service, Guangzhilv, and Guangzhou Nanhu International Travel Service have all introduced 7–12 day Canadian winter packages featuring skiing, holiday light festivals, wine tasting, gourmet dining, and New Year celebrations, giving Chinese travelers more opportunities to experience the unique charm of Canada in winter.
Recently, the Tourism Bureau of British Columbia (hereinafter referred to as BC) in western Canada, together with Destination Canada, launched several winter tourism routes in a promotional push in China.
Zhang Huiling, manager of the Americas Center at CYTS Outbound Travel Services, also noted that this winter, Canada’s tourism offerings are much richer than in previous years, with products such as aurora and polar bear tours being particularly popular. Recently, the number of people purchasing CYTS’ single-destination Canada tours has increased by nearly 40% compared to last year.
Wang Qian, director of the Americas Division of the Outbound Tourism Department at CITS, said that Vancouver in BC, Canada, has winter temperatures between 5–10°C, making it suitable for winter travel. The 2010 Winter Olympics in February also boosted the global profile of this diverse international city. This year, Vancouver and Whistler have stepped up their promotion of both skiing and non-skiing winter activities in China. In addition, winter events such as ice festivals and carnivals in cities like Montreal, Quebec, are also major draws. Currently, 8-day Canada tour packages are priced between 12,000 and 13,000 yuan, which is also quite competitive compared to U.S. tour prices.
Additionally, it has been reported that in the past, compared to other countries, Canada’s tourist visa application process was relatively strict. However, with 12 travel agencies—including CITS and CYTS—gaining “privileged” priority cooperation status with Canadian tourism authorities, the visa approval rate has significantly improved. Statistics show that in 2011, nearly 250,000 Chinese tourists visited Canada, marking a 153% increase in arrivals from 2002 to 2011.