As diplomatic bridges strengthen, a surge in travel and cultural dialogue between China and Canada signals a new era of bilateral warmth, driven by China's commitment to visa facilitation and deeper mutual understanding.

Currently, Canadian people can benefit from two major visa-free policies when transiting through China: the 240-hour transit visa exemption and the 30-day visa-free entry policy for Hainan province. These measures have enhanced the convenience and flexibility for Canadian tourists on short-term visits.

In a pivotal move to revitalize people-to-people contact, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Nov 3, 2025, the resumption of outbound group tours to Canada organized by Chinese travel agencies. This decision marks a crucial step forward in bilateral tourism exchange, aiming to strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.

Following the policy's implementation, the tourism market between China and Canada has shown signs of rapid recovery. On Dec 24, 2025, a Hainan Airlines charter flight carrying the first official tour group since the policy took effect departed from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport for Vancouver. This group represents the first officially organized Chinese tour to Canada under the newly reinstated policy, signaling a positive start to the renewed travel corridor.

"Driven by the joint efforts of government departments and non-governmental organizations from both countries, cultural and tourism exchanges between China and Canada have entered a new stage of development, characterized by multilevel and multifaceted cooperation," said Wu Ning, director of the China National Tourist Office in Toronto.

In recent years, the exchanges between the two nations have expanded, encompassing not only traditional cultural and tourism cooperation but also modern art exhibitions and youth sports exchanges.

For instance, the widely acclaimed performances of Chinese stage productions such as Five Stars Rise in the East and Wing Chun in Canada, the upcoming "Happy Chinese New Year" series of brand activities, and the participation of Canada's Ridley College rowing team in the club category of the 2025 Head of Shanghai River Regatta last October — where they achieved outstanding results of one gold and two silver medals — all serve as vivid examples of the dynamic people-to-people exchanges between China and Canada.

"The future of China-Canada cultural and tourism exchanges is promising, with vast prospects and immense potential," Wu said.

The two countries exhibit significant complementarity in resource endowments and market demands: China possesses a profound historical civilization, diverse cultural forms, and continuously optimized entry facilitation policies; Canada, on the other hand, is renowned for its natural ecological resources, leisure vacation products, and high-quality services, Wu noted.

As flight networks continue to recover and people-to-people exchanges gain momentum, culture and tourism are poised to become one of the most amiable and fastest-growing sectors in China-Canada relations, she added.

Dedicated to the mission of "telling China's stories well and communicating China's voice effectively", the office in Toronto focuses on promoting cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation between China and Canada. Its primary responsibilities include enhancing the visibility and influence of Chinese tourist destinations in the Canadian market.

According to Wu, the office's recent key initiatives involve planning and executing market promotion campaigns, facilitating collaboration on flight routes and tourism products, strengthening partnerships with Canadian tourism organizations, industry associations and media outlets, and supporting two-way exchanges between industry professionals from both countries.

"Canadian society is open and inclusive, with a rich variety of tourism resources ranging from national parks and natural landscapes to urban culture and indigenous traditions," Wu said, adding that the country demonstrates a strong overall awareness of conservation, with the concept of sustainable development ingrained in its practices.

"It is hoped that cooperation between China and Canada in the cultural and tourism sectors will deepen and yield tangible results.

"Through more diverse and open exchange platforms, the peoples of both countries can enhance mutual understanding and friendship through authentic experiences and face-to-face interactions, thereby injecting sustained and warm momentum into the long-term development of China-Canada relations," Wu said.