Government of Canada funding supports three year tourism training and skills action plan
July 2, 2015 – St. John’s, NL – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
The Honourable Rob Moore, Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), today announced an investment of more than $420,000 from the Government of Canada for Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) to implement a tourism skills, knowledge and workforce action plan over the next three years.
Through a variety of targeted and strategic training activities, Hospitality NL will engage frontline employees and will also help develop leadership skills within the industry. The action plan will outline learning opportunities to further develop a highly skilled, dynamic and professional workforce that can meet the growing demands of the province’s tourism sector. Training will focus on areas such as product development, mentoring, regional learning activities and digital/social media.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s tourism industry continues to grow and in recent years has recorded annual resident and non-resident expenditures of more than $1 billion. The key objective of the action plan is to provide learning to enable the sector to continue to expand and be profitable.
Quick Facts:
- Hospitality NL, the voice of the provincial tourism industry, is one of the largest industry associations in the province, representing more than 2,500 tourism businesses.
- The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Business Development Program, is providing funding of $420,500 for this initiative.
- Today’s announcement is another example of how Canada’s Federal Tourism Strategy is encouraging product development and investments in Canadian tourism assets and products.
Quotes:
“The tourism industry is a proven generator of economic activity and employment, and is particularly important to rural regions of Newfoundland and Labrador. Our Government is pleased to support this project and the work that Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is undertaking to support the sector and address key training and skills development needs that will help drive growth.”
- The Honourable Rob Moore, Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
“Hospitality NL is pleased to lead this initiative, which will help build a more profitable industry by empowering tourism businesses with the skills and knowledge they need to enhance their competitiveness. As an industry that contributes greatly to the economy, investing in sustainable growth and development of the tourism industry is investing in all communities and we are pleased to work with our partners on this project towards great success.”
- Rex Avery, Chair, Hospitality NL
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Contacts:
Kelsie Corey
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Rob Moore
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
613-941-7241
Kelsie.Corey@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Julie Afonso
Acting Director, Public Affairs
ACOA NL
709-772-2984
Julie.Afonso@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Leslie Rossiter
Manager, Policy and Communications
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
709-722-2000 extension 222
lrossiter@hnl.ca
