TORONTO — Toronto has won its bid to host the largest travel delegation ever to come from China to Canada, it was announced Oct. 12. The Chinese incentive travel group, NU SKIN Greater China, will send 6,000 of its elite salespeople to Toronto in 2018, following a signing ceremony held this week in Shanghai between NU SKIN officials, Tourism Toronto and the Ontario Minister of International Trade.
This win is part of Tourism Toronto’s multi-year strategy to attract both leisure and corporate travellers from China, which remains the largest overseas market for tourism. In 2015 alone, 260,000 visitors arrived from China, a figure that has doubled since 2010.
“Top destinations from around the world were bidding in hopes of attracting NU SKIN,” said Johanne Bélanger, president and CEO of Tourism Toronto. “This win is further evidence that Toronto has achieved a prestige status in China as a destination and has emerged as a leader in the international incentive travel sector.”
NU SKIN is one of several recent high-profile results stemming from the strategic efforts of Tourism Toronto in cooperation with the Ontario government. Two years ago, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Michael Chan, now Ontario Minister of International Trade, joined Tourism Toronto in China to help secure the incentive group, Perfect China.
Perfect China and several other major Chinese incentive travel groups, including Sun Hope International Corporation and Joymain, will collectively bring more than 11,000 travellers to Toronto and Ontario.
“Toronto is an ideal setting for our annual incentive program because it offers the excitement of a global city with memorable experiences like Niagara Falls and nearby wineries,” said Angela Lau, regional vice-president, NU SKIN Greater China. “We were particularly impressed by the strong partnership among everyone involved in the Toronto bid, from the industry to government, which demonstrates a strong commitment to this business.”
Last year, Toronto hosted 725 meetings and conventions, bringing 356,600 delegates to the region and generating $417 million in spend. At the same time, Tourism Toronto and its partners booked 751 new meetings and events for future years that will bring 351,900 delegates to the region.
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