Minister Joly creates the Advisory Council on Jobs and the Visitor Economy to maximize Canada's tourism potential
News release
The Council will guide Minister Joly in the development of a new federal tourism strategy
November 12, 2018 – Niagara Falls, Ontario
Canada's visitor economy is a fast-growing sector that provides economic benefits and good middle-class jobs in every region of the country. That was the message delivered today by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, as she began a cross-Canada tour to speak with tourism and travel experts.
Minister Joly announced the creation of the Advisory Council on Jobs and the Visitor Economy. The Council is composed of business owners, entrepreneurs, and tourism operators and professionals who recognize the economic importance of the tourism sector. The Council will be chaired by Frank McKenna, a former premier of New Brunswick who played an important role in the province's tourism sector.
The Council will identify important issues facing the tourism sector in Canada. It will also recommend new ways to increase Canadian tourism opportunities and competitiveness globally. The work of the Council will support the development of a new federal tourism strategy, which has the core objective of creating new opportunities and jobs for the middle class in the tourism sector across Canada.
Minister Joly's engagement with Canadians and stakeholders during this tour will ensure that this key sector—which offers fantastic opportunities for women entrepreneurs, Indigenous communities and youth—has the right foundations, tools and support. While 2017 was a record-breaking year for Canadian tourism, 2018 is on its way to being even greater.
Quotes
"Our government knows that tourism helps every part of the country—urban and rural—by creating good middle-class jobs that can't easily be replaced. I look forward to meeting with Canadians to talk about their vision and ideas for growing Canada's visitor economy. Let's showcase Canada's spectacular natural assets, world-class attractions, and unique cultures and people. We know that by working together, we will be able to harness the full economic potential of this key sector of our economy, which will lead to the creation of new economic opportunities and jobs for the middle class."
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie
Quick facts
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Tourism represents 2% of Canada's gross domestic product.
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Tourism supports 1.8 million jobs across the country.
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The tourism sector directly supports more jobs than the oil and gas, mining, agriculture, auto manufacturing and aerospace industries combined.
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In the first eight months of 2018, Canada welcomed a record 14.8 million international tourists, an increase of 1.5% over the same period in 2017. Of those international tourists, 491,000 came from China, an increase of 2.7% over the same period in the previous year.
Associated links
Contacts
Follow @cdntourism on social media for tourism-related news and join the conversation using #Tourism and #Jobs: Twitter, Instagram
Jeremy Ghio
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie
Jeremy.Ghio@canada.ca
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca
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