Businesses worry absence of Chinese tourists will hurt bottom line

As Canada remains off a list of countries approved by the government of China as travel destinations for tour groups, some Ottawa businesses are worried about a future without Chinese tourists.

Since February, China has resumed outbound group tours to 138 destinations across the world after it had barred them during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.

Of the countries approved for group tours and package travel, 78 were added to the list about three weeks ago. Canada was not among them.

The apparent snub — which China's embassy in Ottawa said is due to rising anti-Asian discrimination and a recent focus among Canadian politicians on allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian elections — could mean local businesses will miss out on thousands of dollars in tourism revenue.

Etienne Cameron, who co-owns Ottawa-based Lady Dive Tours, said Chinese tourist groups made up about 30 per cent of his pre-pandemic clientele and revenue. Now, those tourists are noticeably absent.

"The Asian market is definitely the one that's been hit the most at this point, and we still feel the difference … It's not where it used to be," he said. "Eventually, we thought they would come back, [but] we're still waiting."

Cameron said his business is still recovering from the pandemic and having Chinese tourists back would be "very, very important."

'A blow'

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, outbound tourism from China was a valuable international commodity.

Chinese travellers spent $255 billion in 2019 and accounted for 20 per cent of all international tourism spending, according to the United Nations' World Tourism Organization.

Destination Canada, the Crown corporation that promotes tourism, told CBC that China was Canada's largest source of tourist arrivals from the Asia-Pacific region in 2019 and used to be Canada's largest market in terms of tourist spending.

But that was before international travel was limited due to the pandemic.

Colton Hroncich, manager of the Crazy Moose souvenir shop in the ByWard Market, said he's worried about the continued absence of those tourists from his store and what it means for his bottom line.

"Everyone that comes in usually ends up buying a shirt, maybe a magnet or anything like that," he said.

"To be hit with such a large number of our customers that aren't going to be able to come into the store as easily or at all anymore, it's definitely going to be kind of a blow."

At Quichua World Market, a ByWard Market handicrafts and jewelry store, assistant manager Karidia Nieto recalled that Chinese tourists used to visit her store after arriving on tour buses.

On average, Nieto said about 20 families would come into the store per day, contributing to at least $1,000 in revenue.

But now, as the store grapples with a post-pandemic economy, Nieto said she's disappointed she won't have Chinese tourists as clients.

"Knowing that they are putting those barriers between Canada and their country is very sad," Nieto said. "Because we really appreciate the Chinese people."

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