• Continued investment in and focus on Marine Atlantic Inc. as a critical transportation service for the region
Marine Atlantic Inc. is a vital link to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador affecting residents and travellers to the province. As a major piece of national transportation infrastructure, continued investment is required for fleet maintenance and infrastructure upgrades to ensure a safe, reliable and quality transportation service for those travelling to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Investment is also required to ensure quality customer service and timely, accurate communications are delivered to MAI customers.  

• Improved air access policies and cost structure to enable growth in domestic and international service
Taxation and Visa policies are prohibitive.  Airport rents, municipal taxes, fuel taxes and security fees pose a significant challenge to the growth of the tourism industry and must be addressed.  These fees have rendered Canada 106th in the world for aviation cost structure.  As a fly-to destination, our cost structure is a barrier to success.

Visa: we need an effective system to help facilitate access to emerging markets and North America needs an EU style perimeter approach that would allow ease of travel.

• Investment support to enable tourism product development
Investment is required in federally and provincially owned tourism products, and a renewal of support for attractions and festivals.  Small and medium sized tourism establishments need access to financing and elected officials and government departments must ensure policy decisions consider the impact to tourism and take steps to mitigate any impacts.

• Investment in the Canadian Tourism Commission to enable competitive marketing activities
Competitive and sustainable funding is required for the Canadian Tourism Commission.  Since 2002, Canada has dropped from 8th place to 15th among the world’s most visited tourism destinations.  Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global economy yet Canada’s share of the global pie is shrinking.

• Continued investment in Parks Canada infrastructure and programming
Parks Canada plays a pivotal role in the tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada as a whole. The Parks Canada National Parks and National Historic Sites in the province are major attractions for resident and non-resident travellers. As a product from which many private businesses rely heavily upon to attract visitors to their region, it is the responsibility of Parks Canada to have the infrastructure, staff, products and experiences required to be a true player in the tourism industry. Parks Canada in our province does require significant recapitalization and continued investment.

• Investment in the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council to address tourism industry labour shortage issues
Competitive and sustainable funding is required for the CTHRC in order to address addresses labour market issues and promotes professionalism in the Canadian tourism sector in support of a globally competitive and sustainable Canadian tourism sector.
 
• Continued Investment in the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Access to business development and capital investment is often difficult for tourism operations. As such, ACOA has become a vital business development support for our industry. The Agency has assisted private industry invest in tourism products and services and supported industry at large initiatives which help our province become more competitive. To ensure the tourism industry is able to develop the products and services necessary to become a national and international destination of choice, ACOA must continue to receive support for initiatives pertaining to tourism.

The growth of the tourism industry is vital to the economic well-being of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada as a whole. The recent economic recession had a crippling effect on the tourism industry in Canada and other countries throughout the world; however, Newfoundland and Labrador’s tourism industry proved its sustainability by showing growth.  In fact, since 2003, Newfoundland and Labrador has experienced a 22% increase in visitor traffic.

Tourism Is a Key Economic Sector
• Spending on tourism related activities in 2009 totaled $71.5 billion in Canada.  In NL, spending amounted to $850 million.

Tourism Is a Major Employer
• Tourism employs 650,000 people directly in Canada – 3.5% of the total Canadian labour force!  In NL, tourism directly employs more than 12,000 people.

Tourism Is a Significant Source of Government Revenue
• Governments earn 28 cents for every dollar of tourism spending.
• Tourism’s economic activity generates tax revenues for all levels of government and provides immediate economic return and funding for other government priorities such as healthcare, education, public safety, roads.

Tourism Is an Economic Powerhouse Globally and an Economic Engine Locally
• Tourism is part of the solution to growing economic opportunities in our rural communities.