Minister of State Bernier to Celebrate a Century of the Hotel Association of Canada's Contributions to Canadian Tourism

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 4, 2013) - Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), will speak about the importance of the hotel industry to Canadian tourism at the Hotel Association of Canada Centennial Celebration and Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence Dinner. The Minister of State will thank the Association and the industry for their contributions to the Canadian economy.

"Tourism is a strong driver of Canada's economy thanks to the hardworking men and women in the tourism industry who make exploring our country an unforgettable experience for visitors," says Minister of State Bernier. "For a century, the Hotel Association of Canada has played an important role in representing the interests of its members and working in partnership with our government to create a prosperous hotel and tourism industry in Canada. I wish you the best success over the next 100 years."

Currently, Canadian tourism is undergoing strong, healthy growth, with revenues increasing for 13 consecutive quarters. During the first three quarters of 2012, revenues increased by $2.9 billion, reaching $64.4 billion, and the number of tourism jobs averaged more than 618,700.

Minister of State Bernier will also congratulate this year's Hotel Association of Canada Hall of Fame inductees whose professionalism and commitment to excellence continues the tradition of Canada's great hoteliers.

"Our government is committed to establishing the right conditions for the industry to succeed," says Minister of State Bernier. "Since the launch of Canada's Federal Tourism Strategy, we have worked at enhancing our government's role as an effective partner with industry and other levels of government in support of an internationally competitive tourism sector. We are delivering on our commitments and have reached important milestones."

Visit the Supporting Tourism website (www.tourism.gc.ca) for more information on Canada's Federal Tourism Strategy and other tourism initiatives. To read about this year's Hall of Fame inductees, please visit the Hotel Association of Canada website (www.hotelassociation.ca/site/news/Awards.asp).