A new $18.075 million Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism was launched today in Moncton by the Honourable Fred J. Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and representatives of the four Atlantic provinces.
This federal/provincial/private sector agreement is intended to combine limited resources to help expand the tourism industry of Atlantic Canada. Specifically, the agreement will market Atlantic Canada as a preferred tourism and travel destination; market Atlantic Canada tourism products to the international touring trade; and identify and undertake initiatives that enhance the competitiveness of the Atlantic tourism industry.
On hand to make the announcement with Mr. Mifflin were the Honourable Camille Thériault, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Province of New Brunswick; Honourable Manning MacDonald, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Province of Nova Scotia; Honourable J. Westin MacAleer, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Province of Prince Edward Island; and Ms. Anna Thistle, M.H.A. (Grand Falls - Buchans) on behalf of the Honourable Sandra Kelly, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and the presidents of the four Atlantic tourism industry associations (Mr. Liam Sneyd, President, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador; John Slipp, President, Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick; Susan Bartlett, President, Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia; and Gerry Gallant, President, Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island).
"ACOA and the federal government are investing in the tourism industry of Atlantic Canada because it is a growth industry with great potential for job creation," said Minister Mifflin. "The tourism partnership has already had a successful beginning and this agreement, with its emphasis on marketing, promotion and product development, will assure continued growth."
"Partnerships between the federal and provincial governments are important ways to leverage scarce resources. In this case, the addition of private-sector participation enhances this formula even more," added Mr. Thériault on behalf of the provincial ministers.
The tourism industry of Atlantic Canada generates approximately $2.3 billion in annual revenues. By percentage of gross provincial product earned from tourism, the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland rank 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th in the country, respectively. It is also estimated that there are 96,000 tourism-related jobs in the region.
"The region's industry is largely made up of small businesses which operate with limited resources," said John Slipp, president of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick and chair of the Atlantic Industry Caucus. "This agreement brings both small and larger operators together with both levels of government to create advantages that we could not otherwise achieve on our own."
Since the early nineties, several joint tourism initiatives have been undertaken on a pan-Atlantic basis by industry and both levels of government. In 1993, the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership (ACTP) was formed. The ACTP is sponsored by, and comprised of, representatives from the four provincial tourism departments, the four provincial tourism industry associations, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC). The ACTP's mission is to develop a solid industry-government working relationship that embodies a regional perspective in the development and promotion of Atlantic Canada's tourism industry. To date, the partnership has focussed primarily on marketing initiatives and has attained a good level of success. Activities undertaken in the North American market by the ACTP have led to an estimated $50 million of increased tourism revenues over the past three years. The Management Committee of the ACTP will manage the agreement.