Northshore Promoted in China by Canadabridge

Written by admin on 18 January 2011

Summer Travel to the North Shore of Lake Superior Promoted in the People’s Republic of China

Photos courtesy of Canadabridge Education Inc.

Canadabridge Education Inc. readies to bring students to the region in early summer which would provide a real boost before the start of the tourist season.

Photo courtesy Canadabridge Education Inc.

Zengzhou City, CHINA — Thoughts turned to summer this week as Canadabridge Education Inc. presented their plans for an ambitious project.

On Friday, January 14th, more than thirty of China’s elite educational recruiters came together in Zhengzhou City. Joining them for China’s first educational recruitment symposium were four representatives from the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

The Province of Ontario has long been one of the world’s premier destinations for Chinese students. Relatively few, however, tend to visit the North shore of Lake Superior. In cooperation with the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Morley Chertkoff, general manager of Canadabridge Education Inc. wants this to change.

Working from China, with assistance from Manitouwadge EDO Dave Raymond, Mr. Chertkoff has assembled an itinerary. The “Four Great Lakes in Two Great Weeks” tour could bring Chinese students to Ontario for mid-June. Beginning in Thunder Bay, nine north shore communities would be visited before students would reach Sault Ste. Marie. Students would then travel on to Sudbury, North Bay, Ottawa, Gravenhurst, Hamilton, Port Dover, Niagara Falls and Toronto.

To encourage Chinese recruiters to promote this tour, a slide show of more than 150 photographs was shown during the symposium. Several gorgeous snapshots provided by the North of Superior Tourism Association were included. Judging by the oohs and aahs from those in attendance, the scenic beauty of the region elicited a most favourable reaction.

“What we must realize”, says Dave Raymond, “is that what we take for granted is in itself a tourist attraction to behold – clean air, stars in the sky, pristine water, abundant fish, beautiful sunsets – even the birds and trees.”

Impressed by the photographs, John Shanahan, Principal of St Patrick Catholic Secondary School emphatically stated that “people come to Ontario to see what they are missing in other parts of the globe. You don’t discover Ontario inside a shopping mall!”

While in Toronto, students would visit several schools within the Toronto Catholic District School Board and tour the University of Toronto in addition to the usual tourist spots. Some students may wish to remain in Toronto for the entire summer so that they would be able to attend summer school classes. Others may wish to return in future to Toronto, or possibly another spot they have visited, to study.

Mr. Qiao Xinjian, owner of Canadabridge Education Inc., believes in the potential this project holds and by doing so, has indirectly invested in Northwestern Ontario. Mr Qiao said, in translation that “from what I have been told and from the support my company has received from the Corporation of the Township of Manitouwadge, I am firmly committed to a five year investment plan for Manitouwadge and area. Initial response to the plan for the summer tour has been terrific and I’m anxious to see the returns. As I’ve not yet been to Canada, I hope I’ll be able to join the students on this upcoming trip.”

When in Canada, Mr. Qiao will be able to visit his new friends from the Toronto Catholic District School Board who, in addition to John Shanahan came to China to attend his recruitment symposium: Patrick Keyes, Superintendent of Student Success and International Education, Paul Matthews, Legal Counsel and Alex Mazzucco, International Project Coordinator.

Much thought, effort and ambition has gone into the planning of this summer tour program. Now it is in the hands of the recruiters to promote this tour to their students.

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