The Tourny Fountain, close to Quebec City's Parliament Building, shining with its 43 water jets at night. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Gao Ling, the alliance's market manager for Asia and China, says: "It is now more common to see Chinese travelers in Quebec. They are exploring more regions and staying more nights than before. Many Chinese outbound tourists also know how to find a nice restaurant or local store."

She also says that earlier Chinese tourists only visited cities, but now they explore the province's 22 tourist regions.

According to her, the number of independent travelers from China is growing much faster than the number of group travelers. Group travelers typically spend three nights in the province, two in Montreal and one in Quebec City, while independent travelers often spend up to a week in the region.

As for what makes Quebec unique, she says: "The instant you arrive at the airport, you get a dose of Francophone culture with the bilingual signs.

"You're stepping into North America, but you can experience authentic French culture such as food and fashion."

Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn