MONTRÉAL, QC April 24, 2016 - The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) and Destination Canada (DC) announced a new China engagement strategy called the Canada-China Tourism Advancement (CCTA) program at Canada's premier international tourism marketplace, Rendez-Vous Canada 2016. CCTA expands on the Canada China Inbound Tour Operator Registration Program to help all members of Canada's tourism industry take advantage of growth opportunities in the Chinese marketplace.

"TIAC takes pride in the achievements of the ADS program including an average annual growth rate of 24% per year generating over $3B in revenue," said Charlotte Bell, President & CEO of TIAC. "However, the Chinese market is changing due to the new 10-year multiple visa, the growth of the Free and Independent Travel (FIT) segment, increased air capacity, as well as increased competition. TIAC understands that to truly capitalize on the opportunities, a more coordinated, sophisticated and broader platform needs to be developed."

"We are pleased to partner with TIAC to move Canada's tourism industry from "China Ready" to "China Ambitious,"" stated David Goldstein, President & CEO of DC. "Chinese travellers are looking to explore the world, and this agreement will help us make Canada their number one destination of choice."

While maintaining and growing the Canada-China Inbound Tour Operator Registration program, the CCTA program provides a coordinated platform to develop tourism assets that support the Canada brand developed by Destination Canada through the following:

China's UnionPay International has joined the CCTA program as a key partner. Pilot projects to be launched in 2016 include: a trade mission to China with financial support from Global Affairs Canada via the Global Opportunities for Associations (GOA) program, a partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia in destination development for the Chinese market and an industry bi-lateral forum with the Shanghai Huangpu Hotel Association hosted in Canada.