Carney said China is ready to drop visa requirement
Tour operators offering China are keeping their fingers crossed that Prime Minister Carney recently stating that the Asian nation is ready to drop visa requirements for Canadians wanting to visit mainland China quickly materializes, adding they’re confident that it will significantly increase the number of people in this country who choose to vacation in the Asian nation.
Carney said while visiting Beijing in mid-January for talks with Chinese officials that China was ready to do away with requiring Canadians to get visas before visiting a country that has seen disputes with this country in recent years. Carney stated during his trip that he wanted to improve relations between Canada and Asia’s largest nation.
Chinese officials haven’t yet confirmed that they’re ready to abolish Canadian visa requirements but have in recent years broadened the number of countries whose citizens can enter China visa-free for a month.
Harold Ho, senior vice president, supplier relations at Royal Scenic, says his company would welcome doing away with visas, which tourists frequently view as expensive and sometimes cumbersome.
“We are very excited about the future possibility that China might add Canada to its list of countries eligible for visa-free entry, opening the door for Canadian tourists to visit with greater convenience,” Ho told Travel Courier. “This move is a fantastic opportunity for Canadians to experience China’s incredible mix of ancient traditions and historic sites, such as the Great Wall to modern innovation and vibrant cityscapes in Shanghai and Shenzhen. If anyone has been waiting for a reason to visit China, it will be the perfect time once the visa requirement is lifted.”
Ho said China tour bookings have been “sporadic until a couple weeks ago. Since then we have been getting a lot of inquiries. We expect the majority of these ongoing inquiries to materialize as bookings once the visa restriction is confirmed and lifted. At that point air lift capacity and frequency will be increased by the airlines that serve routes between the two countries.”
Ho added that Royal Scenic expects the lifting of visas will lead to pricing of China vacations becoming more affordable due to increased competition among airlines for China-bound vacationers.
Moira Smith, vice president Asia at Goway, said she’s confident there would be a surge in Canadian travel to China if visas are no longer required.
“We’d be thrilled to see China lift visa requirements for Canadians,” she added. “Over the past four months, we’ve seen remarkable momentum — China has climbed from ninth to fifth place in our Asia destination rankings, with significant increases in both inquiries and bookings.
“Currently, our best-selling itinerary is our Hong Kong and China combination, which maximizes the 240-hour visa-free transit window. However, full visa exemption would be transformative for the market, removing a major barrier to travel and unlocking pent-up demand.”
Smith said Goway is already preparing for visa-free travel, in part by expanding its Chinese offerings.
“We’re already reimagining our China product portfolio in anticipation of this shift, developing itineraries that go beyond gateway cities to showcase the country’s diversity,” she continued. “If visa restrictions are lifted, we expect China to become a top-three destination for Canadian travellers within 12 to 18 months.”
Meanwhile, a Toronto-area travel agent with a varied clientele added her voice to those who say the visas are hampering travel to China.
“I think lifting visas for Canadians visiting China will be a great move,” said Sheila Aue of Trevello. “Obtaining visas for Canadian tourists wanting to visit China has always been a challenge. By lifting this requirement, it will make travel to the country that much easier and more welcoming for visitors.”
