(St. John’s, NL) November 1, 2018 – Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial tourism industry association, today announced a membership agreement with Restaurants Canada, the national association representing Canada’s diverse and dynamic restaurant and foodservice industry.
Through this agreement, Hospitality NL’s independent foodservice members will be recognized as Association Members of Restaurants Canada, gaining access to numerous benefits including their national affinity partner programs, digital communication, education and research assets, as well as access to special Restaurants Canada industry events. Restaurants Canada is at the forefront of critical issues and their advocacy efforts place them at the table with government on a national level to ensure the best possible outcome for business owners and operators, employees and customers.
“Food is one of those key touchpoints in the visitor journey that is not only a necessity, but also offers a unique opportunity for visitors to experience aspects of our history and culture that are intrinsically linked to our culinary fare,” says Hospitality NL Chair, Larry Laite. “Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is excited to offer this new level of value to our members in the food and beverage sector who play such an important role in the visitor journey, not to mention in our communities.”
“We are thrilled to have Hospitality NL join our association of more than 30,000 members. We believe this partnership will provide great value and resources to the foodservice and hospitality sector of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Shanna Munro, Restaurants Canada President and CEO. “Our team is looking forward to working with members of Hospitality NL to support the continued growth and success of culinary tourism throughout the province.”
Hospitality NL and Restaurants Canada have fostered a close working relationship that allows both organizations to better represent the needs of the foodservice sector as it relates to tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador. This joint agreement will further enhance that relationship, allowing for more direct industry feedback to our national partner and alignment of efforts on policy issues. In combining efforts, both associations will be stronger together and better able to serve Newfoundland and Labrador’s foodservice operators and the industry at large. As culinary tourism in the province soars to new heights, and the importance of food security highlights the fields of agriculture and agritourism, this partnership is critical to plans for growth of the provincial tourism industry.
Details on the agreement between Hospitality NL and Restaurants Canada can be found online.
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial tourism industry association for 35 years, is dedicated to advancing growth in tourism through advocacy efforts, skills and knowledge development and membership and networking opportunities.
Restaurants Canada (formerly CRFA) is a growing community of more than 30,000 foodservice businesses, including restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. Restaurants Canada connects its members from coast to coast, through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant community. Canada’s restaurant industry is an $85 billion industry, directly employs 1.2 million Canadians, is the number one source of first jobs and serves 22 million customers every day.
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Media Contacts:
Melissa Ennis
Manager, Policy & Communications
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
E: mennis@hnl.ca
P: 709-722-2000 ext. 231
C: 709-227-1863
Marlee Wasser
Restaurants Canada
E: media@restaurantscanada.org
P: 416-649-4254 or 1-800-387-5649 ext. 4254