Minister of State Bernier Attends Rendez-vous Canada 2015 and Highlights Government of Canada's Continued Commitment to Promoting Canada as a Top Tourism Destination

NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 26, 2015) - Industry Canada

Today, Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) (Agriculture), spoke about the Government of Canada's continued commitment to promoting Canada as a premier tourism destination during his address at Rendez-vous Canada 2015.

Minister of State Bernier spoke to Canadian tourism sellers and some 30 international travel trade media about the additional support for tourism announced in Budget 2015, which will allow the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) to lead a new initiative, in partnership with the tourism sector, to promote Canada to travellers from U.S. leisure markets.

Prime Minister Harper recently announced that the CTC will receive additional support of $30 million over the next three years for the major new marketing campaign to attract more American visitors to destinations across Canada.

This initiative will enable the CTC to build on its strong brand and track record of collaborating with partners in the private sector, international travel trade, and the provinces and territories to attract international visitors. The new campaign will use advanced and innovative marketing methods to reach out to U.S. travellers.

The Minister of State also announced that the CTC is coming out with a bold new corporate identity: Destination Canada. Destination Canada represents the dynamic campaigns and programs used to distinguish Canada as a competitive global destination. The CTC will use Destination Canada instead of Canadian Tourism Commission whenever doing business at home and abroad.

Quick facts

• More than 1,500 international travel-industry professionals are attending Rendez-vous Canada 2015 (RVC). Led by the Canadian Tourism Commission, RVC is Canada's premier international tourism marketplace. It enables international buyers to meet with Canadian sellers and learn more about Canada's tourism products.
• Tourism makes an important contribution to the Canadian economy, with businesses large and small employing hundreds of thousands of workers in communities across the country.
• Canadian tourism revenues, GDP and employment all experienced growth in 2014.

Total tourism revenues grew by 4.7 percent in 2014 to reach over $88 billion.

Quotes

"Our government is committed to supporting the CTC as it reinvents itself just in time to lead a new initiative to attract travellers from the U.S. Events such as Rendez-vous Canada also present opportunities for the CTC to position Canada's small and medium-sized tourism businesses to take advantage of international growth opportunities, increase revenues and create jobs."

- Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) (Agriculture)

"Our government is committed to fostering economic and people-to-people ties by making it easier for travellers to come to Canada. Whether for business or tourism purposes, we are focused on making Canada a destination of choice for travel. The small and medium-sized tourism businesses that participated in Rendez-vous Canada this year are proving intrinsic to our success in this regard. The many travel facilitation measures that our government has implemented ensure that visiting Canada is easier, more efficient and more affordable."

- Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Associated link

- Canadian Tourism Commission

Follow us on Twitter: @industrycanada