Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil has announced that in the fall of 2020 China Southern Airlines will begin direct charter service between Guangzhou - aka Canton - and Halifax.

Guangzhou-based outbound tour operator and air-ticket agency GZL International Travel Service Ltd., which is owned 60% by the Government of China - will be arranging and selling package tours using the new flights.

The new service is expected to boost tourism from China for New Brunswick and PEI as well as Nova Scotia. High-season inbound tourism to NS was down by 5% in 2019, in part because the Bar Harbor - Yarmouth Cat ferry didn't run. About 5000 Chinese tourists currently visit NS annually, and it's hoped the new China Southern flights will up that number significantly.