Unique blend of cultures

Canada's second-largest province by area, Quebec is a popular travel destination thanks to its French heritage. Xu Lin reports.

For tourist Zhang Jin, 33, the most impressive part of her trip to the Canadian province of Quebec is the local residents. "They are hospitable and proud of Quebec's history. When we were taking photos on the street, passers-by would often come and give us travel tips that you can't find in books," says Zhang, who visited the province with her friend last October. Zhang is the co-founder of Daydow Info & Tech Ltd Co, a new media company in Guangzhou, in Guangdong province.

"I liked chatting with them. They were like ambassadors for Quebec. The tour guides said they wanted tourists to fall in love with Quebec and return."

Zhang says the local tourism information centers offer a variety of brochures about the province and the staff are very courteous. One can also sign up for city tours based on different themes at the centers.

During one tour of Quebec City, the tour guide played the role of the wife of an executioner in the old days and explained the laws and famous cases from that period.

Quebec, which is Canada's second-largest province by area, is a popular travel destination due to its blend of French heritage and North American culture.

Located in eastern Canada, the province is the only one in the country where French is the sole official language.

Speaking about the province's tourism push, Julie Boulet, Quebec's minister of Tourism, who recently visited China with a delegation from Quebec's tourism industry, including the Quebec Tourism Industry Alliance, says: "We are striving to strengthen our cooperation with Chinese tourism operators and travel agencies. It is also crucial to promote Quebec's rich tourism resources via China's online tourism platforms."

During the visit, the alliance signed agreements with Ctrip and Tuniu, two of China's leading online travel agencies, to better tap the potential of Chinese market.

Martin Soucy, president and CEO of the alliance, says that they have put up posters in Shanghai's metro to promote Quebec's whales. But, besides the traditional advertisements, they hope to promote Quebec as a destination for young Chinese through short videos and social media.

According to the alliance, if one excludes the United States, the top inbound tourism markets for Quebec are France, Germany and the United Kingdom, while China is Quebec's biggest market in Asia.

Last month, Air Canada started direct flights between Shanghai and Montreal.

The alliance is confident about the effect of the direct flights and expects the number of Chinese tourists to touch 250,000 by 2020.

In September 2015, the first direct air link between Beijing and Montreal was launched, and that year the number of Chinese tourists who traveled to Quebec was around 30,000. The number was 85,000 last year.

"Our government has established good relations with China in trade, education, culture and science. And we are confident that the direct flights will carry more Chinese travelers (to Quebec). We are prepared for it," Boulet says.

"We are also doing research about what Chinese tourists want - language assistance, food and accommodation - to further develop our tourism products, including those covering nature and the outdoors."

According to her, the government also gives Quebec's tourism operators help to encourage them to design products for Chinese travelers.

As for her suggestions for Chinese visitors intending to visit Quebec, she says that they should take a boat ride to enjoy a view of the whales that surface from May to October.

She also says that they should wear clothes that are warm and windproof. She adds that from late September to October, the colorful maple leaves provide beautiful scenery.

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

The Tourny Fountain, close to Quebec City’s Parliament Building, shining with its 43 water jets at night. Photos Provided To China Daily