China Approves Group Tourism to Canada

China has excluded Canada from a list of countries approved for group tourism, a move attributed by Beijing to political tensions between the two nations. The decision deals a significant blow to Canada’s tourism industry, which had previously benefited from a large influx of Chinese visitors.

In August, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism expanded its list of approved outbound travel destinations to include countries such as the United States, Australia, Britain, and Japan. Canada, however, was not granted this Approved Destination Status (ADS), which is required for Chinese travel agencies to market and organize group tours. More than 130 countries currently have this status.

### Beijing Cites Political Grievances

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa has directly linked the exclusion to the current diplomatic climate. A spokesperson stated that Canada has repeatedly hyped the “China threat” theory and pointed to what Beijing describes as “rampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words” within Canada. The embassy claimed the Chinese government attaches great importance to the safety and rights of its overseas citizens and hopes Canada will ensure a safe and friendly environment for Chinese tourists. This official stance suggests the tourism issue is being used as leverage in broader political disputes, which include a 2021 incident involving a Canadian diplomat’s T-shirt that featured a bat-like emblem.

The economic impact of this decision on Canada is substantial. According to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Chinese tourists were the largest group of overseas visitors and the second-largest international market for tourism spending before the pandemic. In 2018 alone, nearly 700,000 Chinese tourists visited Canada, contributing an estimated $2-billion to the economy. The association expressed disappointment, noting that the continued exclusion puts Canadian tourism businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

### Carney and Xi Hold High-Level Meeting

Amid the diplomatic freeze, a notable high-level meeting took place in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. The 45-minute meeting, which occurred on Monday at the request of the Chinese, was a rare point of contact between a prominent Canadian and China’s top leader.

Mr. Carney, who left his Bank of England post in 2020, attended in his capacity as a co-chair of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero. The discussion reportedly focused on sustainable finance and the global economy. While the meeting signifies a potential channel for dialogue, its direct impact on the ongoing tourism and diplomatic disputes remains unclear.

Key Points
* More than 130 countries have Approved Destination Status (ADS) from China.
* Nearly 700,000 Chinese tourists visited Canada in 2018.
* These tourists spent an estimated $2-billion in Canada in 2018.
* Mark Carney and Xi Jinping held a 45-minute meeting on Monday.
* China expanded its ADS list in August to include countries like the U.S., Australia, Britain, and Japan.
* Mark Carney left his role as governor of the Bank of England in 2020.

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