Canada’s vibrant tourism industry employs one in ten Canadians who eagerly welcomed a record 20.8 million international visitors to our shores in 2017. Investing in tourism projects in both big cities and small communities throughout Atlantic Canada supports local businesses and creates good middle class jobs in local communities.

“Tourism is an important industry that offers a tremendous economic opportunity for further economic growth in Atlantic Canada. That’s why growing the region’s tourism industry is a key goal of the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which is all about doing things differently. We’re applying new thinking and a new level of collaboration to target economic growth, and our innovative approach to tourism development is creating new growth for the tourism industry and good middle-class jobs for years to come.”

• The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

“Tourism is our largest service export, supporting tens of thousands of jobs right across Canada. 2017 was our best tourism year ever. In addition to the significant investments our government has made to market the Atlantic region as a world-class tourism destination, we are also committed to helping tourism operators create the experiences visitors are seeking, and to prepare for future growth. I encourage all Atlantic tourism operators to learn more about how the travel trade can help them grow their businesses by reaching out to new markets, such as China.”

• The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism
  

“The development of a Travel Trade Readiness Initiative provides a significant opportunity for the New Brunswick tourism industry. This hands-on learning model will help prepare tourism operators with valuable skills and best practices to leverage partnerships with key international travel planners to create market ready itineraries to drive business. Equipping tourism operations throughout Atlantic Canada with the skills to respond to this level of competition is the first step in raising Atlantic Canada’s profile as a signature tourism destination and bringing more visitors to New Brunswick.”

• The Honourable John Ames, New Brunswick Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture

“In today’s business environment, tourism operators are continually faced with having to adapt to new trends, emerging sector innovation and technologies that challenge existing business models. The Atlantic Canada Travel Trade Readiness Program will bridge gaps to develop and expand industry business distribution by working with travel trade. The tourism industry in Atlantic Canada plays an important role in supporting provincial economic growth. TIANB is pleased to contribute through this important initiative.”

• Mr. Dan Myers, Chair of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick

 “I was extremely pleased to participate in the Travel Trade Workshop. Although I have been attending RVC and doing business with travel trade for the last 4 years – I was more than pleasantly surprised at how much I learned. The program facilitated important discussions on being able to network and ask questions with other operators and as such, best practices among peers quickly surfaced and I was amazed at how much I took away from the both the program and my industry peers. The toolkit workbook was very well done and through great visual aids, it simplified many of the complicated channels and terminology involved with travel trade. I highly recommend this program for any operator wanting to do business with travel trade; I believe it will help open up international business doors that will aid in the sustainability of all tourism related businesses.”

• Anna-Marie Weir, Director of Operations and CEO, Roads to Sea Guided Tours

• In July 2017, federal ministers, Atlantic premiers, Atlantic Canada’s tourism industry and Destination Canada announced a joint investment of $24.5 million under the Atlantic Growth Strategy to position Atlantic Canada as a top tourism destination. This investment includes:

  • The Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism (ACAT), a new three-year $19.95 million federal-provincial-industry marketing partnership to promote the four Atlantic Provinces as leading vacation destinations in key markets in the United States and the United Kingdom;
  • The Tourism International Marketing Expansion (TIME) Program, a new three-year $4.5 million federal-provincial marketing partnership designed to take advantage of growth opportunities from emerging and developing markets, beginning with China and Germany, and;
  • The Travel Trade Market Readiness (TTMR) Program, a $250,000 federal-provincial-industry partnership to help tourism operations better understand the travel trade business model, and how to access and benefit from opportunities in developing markets.
     

• Two tourism development firms, Bannikin Travel and Tourism and Twenty31 Consulting, were contracted to develop the Atlantic Canada TTMR Program. These firms conducted significant consultations with travel trade stakeholders and industry in the program development.
  

• Rendez-vous Canada 2018 was recently held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, bringing over 1,800 Canadian and international tourism leaders to Atlantic Canada.
  

• Rendez-vous Canada 2018 was a four-day business-to-business marketplace that connected international travel trade buyers with Canadian tourism industry sellers through a series of one-on-one appointments, motivating travel to Canada.
  

• ACOA provided $215,000 in assistance to Tourism Nova Scotia to ensure that Atlantic Canada was front and centre at this recent national event, and to support a series of thirteen familiarization tours throughout the Atlantic region for 190 international buyers.
  

• Tourism operators should contact Cindy Creamer Rouse, Director, Sales, Media and Visitor Experience, Tourism, Heritage and Culture at 506-444-4097 or cindy.creamer-rouse@gnb.ca for information on the Atlantic Canada TTMR Program.
  

Chris Brooks
Director of Communications
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
902-566-7569

Barbara Day
Communications
New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture
506-444-5185

Shelley Munn
Communications & Marketing Manager
Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick
506-458-5646