Recognizing a role for another in the speaker’s action, and expressing appreciation

On COCA , there are 108 hits for ‘giving me the opportunity’ and 33 for ‘giving me the chance’, many associated with acts of thanking.

The difference is:

I think talking about a chance/opportunity provided by someone else to do something is a recognition/appreciation of someone else’s role in something the speaker’s doing.

So a kind of causative, like ‘let’.

'Thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak at your conference.'
'Thanks for giving me the chance to speak at your conference.'
'Thanks for letting me speak at your conference.'

What about,

"When in Beijing, we got the chance to visit the Great Wall."

How is it different than,

"When in Beijing, we visited the Great Wall"?

Or,

'When in Beijing, we didn't get the chance to visit the Great Wall.'

Recognition of some outside actor helping or preventing something the speaker did/didn’t do?

But no outside actor is evident.

'When in Beijing, we weren't able to visit the Great Wall'

is similar. But not,

'When in Beijing, (they) did/didn't let us visit the Great Wall'

What about a tour operator saying,

'While driving through safari park, you will
have the opportunity to photograph the lions.'

A tourist says,

'We didn't get the chance to pat the lions on the head.'
'We weren't allowed to pat the lions on the head.'
'They didn't let us pat the lions on the head.'

What about,

'Let me take this opportunity to show you our new product'

From a Business English textbook:

I would like to _____________ to inform you of an exciting backpack we have developed for the Australian market.

I think it means, I have your ear, you have given me the opportunity to have you listen to me, and I’m taking that opportunity to show you our new product.

Not ‘take this chance to show you our new product.’

You’re giving and so I’m taking. Thank you. (Kind of formal and unfriendly?)

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