The Tourism Alliance for Western Canada will implement an international marketing campaign to stimulate tourism in Western Canada thanks to funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada.
The $5 million investment will promote Western Canada as a tourist destination in key target markets across the United States, Europe and Asia.
“Our government is standing up for Western Canada’s traditional industries,” said the Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. “Tourism contributes over $1 billion to Manitoba’s economy and nearly $18 billion to the Canadian economy.”
The Tourism Alliance of Western Canada is a joint marketing consortium in which the four western provinces and their respective Tourism Marketing Agencies work cooperatively to promote growth in tourism within the private sector. Under this project, each of the Alliance members – Tourism British Columbia, Travel Alberta, Tourism Saskatchewan and Travel Manitoba – will coordinate a series of activities tailored to the needs and priorities of each province.
“The United States is Manitoba’s major international tourism source market, especially for our high yield fishing and hunting products,” said Hubert Mesman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travel Manitoba. “Today’s announcement will strengthen our capacity to partner with the tourism industry to address U.S. economic and security challenges, and to maintain a strong presence in both regional and long haul U.S. markets.”
Tourism is one of Canada’s top economic generators. In the West, tourism contributes about $18 billion to the economy each year and directly employs nearly 280,000 westerners in sectors that include accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation, and travel services.
Western Economic Diversification Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with the western provinces, industry associations and communies to promote the development and diversification of the western economy as well as to represent the intersets of the West in national decision-making.
For additional information, contact:
Francine Lefebvre
Communications Manager
Western Economic Diversification Canada
(204) 983-6243
Linda Whitfield, Vice President
Advertising and Communications
Travel Manitoba
204-927-7825
lwhitfield@travelmanitoba.com