China Southern readies for tourism

It’s been one year since a China Southern Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ER landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Dec 7, 2016 and China’s largest airline launched its first non-stop service between Guangzhou and Toronto.

“Guangzhou is an economic and tourism center in southern China,” said Zhang Zifang, COO and executive director of China Southern Airlines. “Toronto is the main destination for tourists and immigration from southern China. The two cities have witnessed increased exchanges and connectivity. We believe that the flight has built close ties between our two countries.”

Based in the international air hub of Guangzhou, China Southern Airlines has been honored as one of the best airlines in China for operating the largest fleet, having the most developed route network and largest passenger capacity in China.

“Guangzhou is also a transfer hub offering the full range of connections from international to domestic. Canadian passengers can enjoy baggage check-through service to their final destinations,” Zhang added.

The non-stop Guangzhou-Toronto flight now provides service four times a week, and it is expected to increase its flight frequency to seven days a week in the upcoming 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism, according to Zhang Rui, general manager of China Southern’s Toronto office.

She said the airlines, in cooperation with Toronto Tourism, started to offer Toronto travel passes in mid November to initiate the tourism year.

“We will improve and upgrade our services here to welcome the tourism year,” she said. “We hope our flights can offer greater convenience for people-to-people and business exchanges between the two sides.”

As a SkyTeam and SKYTRAX four-star airline, China Southern conducts more than 2,000 daily flights to 208 destinations in 40 countries and regions across the world.

They have also signed a code-sharing agreement with WestJet to assist arriving Toronto passengers flying to other major Canadian cities, including Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary.

Canada recently opened seven new visa application centers in China as a lead-up to the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism.

Bardish Chagger, Canada’s minister of small business and tourism, said they want to see more direct flights launched between Canada and China, and “the planes should be full going both ways.”