Chinese are answering Canada's call

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Individual travelers prefer driving.

"We've seen individual travelers to Canada rise over the years," says Lei Tao, co-founder of Beijing-based UniqueWay Inc, which customizes overseas tours.

The company has sent roughly 200 guests to the country. Most are in their 30s.

"Our customers have chosen Canada for its top ski resources," Lei says.

"Some stay at chateaus to savor local ice wine or go to see wild animals."

Most of the company's packages last for 10 days and cost about 30,000 yuan ($4,500) a person.

Canada has become popular since it introduced 10-year multi-entry visas for Chinese last year, says Li Mengran, publicity manager of Beijing Utour International Travel Service Co, a major outbound-travel operator in Beijing.

"More visitors want in-depth experiences," Li says.

The agency offers tours with such themes as national parks, skiing and maple leaves.

Roughly 65 percent of its package tours for China's upcoming Mid-Autumn Day in the middle of this month and weeklong National Day holiday in early October have been booked, Li says.

An increase in flights has propelled the growing number of Chinese visitors.

There are direct flights connecting Beijing, Shanghai and Fujian province's Xiamen to Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Hainan Airlines opened direct flights to Calgary on June 30.

Zhang plans to return to Canada's Arctic Circle area to see polar bears and the aurora borealis, known as the northern lights.