December 8th, 2020
For Immediate Release
St. John’s, NL – Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador encourages everyone to support local and support tourism, particularly as tourism and hospitality businesses have been exceptionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Tourism businesses and their operators across the province are still entirely committed to the Health & Safety measures outlined by the Department of Health” says Hospitality NL Chair, Brenda O’Reilly. “As a professional industry we have followed public health guidelines very closely to ensure our businesses, communities, staff and guests have safe and fun experiences. We want to assure the public that COVID-19 cases in the province, although identified as “travel related” aren’t necessarily contracted by travel and that operators are doing their due diligence to keep health and safety at the forefront of their operations.”
The economic impact that COVID-19 has had on the tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador can not be understated. Contributing over 1 billion in spending with over 20,000 jobs in over 2,700 businesses, the tourism industry has been impacted greatly in both urban and rural communities throughout the province – threatening the existence of our heritage and our culture.
“As so many tourism and hospitality businesses have pivoted their services to offer their products – whether it be gift cards, takeaway, online experiences and products, I’m confident that everyone can follow the guidelines set out by the Department of Health and Community Services and still find a way to provide some much needed support to local businesses. Our members provide a wide range of experiences from accommodations, retail and cultural experiences, crafts, food and beverage, tours, music and much more, providing something that everyone can enjoy.” concluded O’Reilly.
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial tourism industry association for over 37 years, is dedicated to advancing growth in tourism through advocacy efforts, skills and knowledge development and membership opportunities.
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Media Contact:
Shanelle Clowe
Manager, Advocacy & Communications
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
E: sclowe@hnl.ca
P: 709-722-2000 ext. 231
C: 709-325-1040