On March 21, 2018, the opening ceremony of China-Canada Year of Tourism 2018 was held successfully in Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, Canada. Taking this as a chance, the Beijing Tourism Promotion Activity was held at the opening ceremony by the Beijing Tourism Development Committee. Deputy Director of Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development Cao Pengcheng talked with travel agencies of Canada and attended the event. Guests made on-site communication with members of the delegation and took group photos in the course of the Beijing Tourism Promotion Activity, including Leader of the Government in the House of Commons of Canada, Minister of Small Business and Tourism of Canada and the Member of Parliament for Waterloo Bardish Chagger, Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye, and Director of Department of Tourism Promotion and International Liaison of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China Xue Yaping.

The activity is designed to promote tourism resources of Beijing, highlight information of relevant products and travel routes, introduce the latest policies and measures to facilitate Beijing tourism and fully display the new image of Beijing’s tourism industry, so as to enhance Canadian’s understanding of Beijing and travel agencies’ understanding of Beijing tourism market, improve Beijing’s visibility and influence in Canada as an international tourist destination and further expand the market of Canadian tourist traveling to Beijing.

In the course of the activity, Cao Pengcheng talked with travel agencies of Canada, including Jade Tours, China Travel Service (Canada) Inc. and Trip Connoisseurs. Cao Pengcheng indicated that tourism has become an important form of both state exchanges and people-to-people communication. Along with the implementation of 10-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa Policy between China and Canada in March 2015 and the increase of flights, the two-way tourism between the two countries has entered a golden period. In recent years, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development has maintained close contact with Canada to create a new image of Beijing, constantly enhancing the international influence and attraction of Beijing. Relying on the deepening exchange between China and Canada, the two parties have agreed to take the Canada-China Year of Tourism as an opportunity to strengthen practical cooperation and close communication in such fields as humanity and promote the development of international inbound tourism market in Beijing.

Cao pointed out in an interview with several media outlets (Fairchild Radio, Fairchild Television and OMNI Television) that the Activity was designed to introduce the distinctive tourism resources of Beijing, including TCM-based health preservation, culture of imperial city and study tours, to citizens of Canadian cities like Toronto. Cao also indicated that Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development would select 3 to 5 excellent travel agencies of Canada to expand the inbound tourism market of Beijing.