Tourism official hopes visa-free travel for Canadians is on the horizon
The director of the China National Tourist Office’s Canadian office is keeping her fingers crossed that Canadians will soon no longer need visas to visit her homeland, a development she says would likely have a dramatic impact on Canadian visitations to the Asian nation.
Prime Minister Carney said during his recent visit to Beijing that Chinese authorities suggested they were ready to lift visa requirements for people from this country, with visas generally seen as an impediment to travel.
Ning Wu, who oversees the CNTO’s Canadian operation, says she thinks things look promising on the visa front, with Carney stating on the eve of his trip that he wanted to improve relations between this country and China after several years of tensions.
“We are very encouraged by the positive signals that have been communicated regarding visa facilitation. This is certainly welcome news for the tourism industry on both sides,” Wu told Travel Courier. “At this stage, any specific policy adjustments will need to be officially announced by the relevant authorities in China. We sincerely hope that there will be positive updates in the near future and look forward to sharing more concrete information as soon as it becomes available.
“Within Canada’s travel industry, the lifting of visas has been widely viewed as an important ‘ice-breaking’ measure for the recovery of outbound travel to China, generating strong interest and high expectations among tour operators and travel advisors.
“Taken together, visa facilitation and broader policy signals send a clear and positive message to the market. They not only support the continued recovery of China–Canada travel exchanges but also create a more favorable and predictable environment for Canadian residents considering travel to China.”
Wu said China’s lifting of visas for other other markets showed that the impact can be significant. For instance, following the introduction of visa-free policies for multiple countries, China’s inbound tourism grew rapidly. In 2025, total border crossings reached a record 697 million, up 14.2% year on year, while foreign nationals accounted for over 82 million crossings, a 26.4% increase. Visa-free entries reached 30 million, representing more than 70% of foreign arrivals and a year-on-year growth of nearly 50%.
“These policies have also driven broader improvements across the tourism value chain, including increased tourism spending on accommodation, dining and attractions, faster restoration of international air routes, and enhanced visitor services at airports and destinations through multilingual support and digital entry systems. If extended to Canada, such measures would be expected to significantly stimulate Canadian travel to China.”
The number of Canadians visiting China already is on the upswing, with overall trends indicating a steady recovery in outbound travel demand among Canadian residents, Wu reported. In July 2025, the number of Canadian residents returning from international travel increased by 8.3%, “highlighting the continued normalization of overseas travel and renewed consumer confidence.
“Based on this momentum, we are confident that growth for the full year will be significant once complete data is released, reflecting steadily recovering travel demand and renewed interest among Canadians in travelling to China,” Wu continued.
Tourism officials hope to see a significant increase in visitor numbers this year, with a strong momentum toward a rapid recovery to pre-pandemic peak levels, Wu added.
Wu said there’s no shortage of reasons why people should visit her homeland.
“Canada and China have strong complementarity in terms of tourism resources and market demand,” she added. “China offers a rich combination of ancient history, diverse cultural traditions and an increasingly modern travel experience, supported by continuously improving inbound travel facilitation policies. Whether Canadian travelers are interested in history and culture, ethnic traditions, cuisine, outdoor and nature-based experiences, high-tech innovation, island resorts or vibrant cityscapes, China can provide a wide range of high-quality tourism products to match these interests. In addition, travel in China offers good value for money, with convenient shopping and well-developed infrastructure. With China placing strong emphasis on inbound tourism and ongoing improvements to the overall travel environment, China is a highly worthwhile and attractive vacation choice for Canadian travellers.”
Meanwhile, Wu is hoping that there will be a marked strengthening of ties between this country and her nation.
“I sincerely hope that cooperation between China and Canada in the fields of culture and tourism will continue to deepen and become more practical and impactful,” she stated. “Culture and tourism are among the most approachable and effective ways to bring people closer together.
“Through our joint efforts, I hope we can create more diverse and open platforms for exchange, allowing people from both countries to experience each other’s cultures through real encounters and face-to-face interactions. These authentic experiences help foster understanding, build trust and strengthen people-to-people connections.
“China–Canada relations are built on a solid foundation of public goodwill and hold great potential for future development. We warmly welcome more Canadian friends to visit China, to see a real and multidimensional China for themselves, and to explore its rich natural landscapes and vibrant cultural heritage. Travel offers a unique opportunity to gain new perspectives, deepen mutual understanding and build lasting friendships.”
