Minister of State Bernier Opens Canada's Largest International Tourism Tradeshow

GATINEAU, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - May 12, 2013) - Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), delivered remarks at Rendez-vous Canada, the Canadian Tourism Commission's annual international tourism industry marketplace.

"Tourism makes a significant contribution to the Canadian economy and employs Canadians from coast to coast to coast," said Minister of State Bernier. "Through the Federal Tourism Strategy, we are positioning the industry to take advantage of international growth opportunities, while creating high-quality jobs in Canada."

Since the launch of the Federal Tourism Strategy (FTS), the Harper Government has been working with government and industry partners to foster the long-term competitiveness of Canada's tourism sector. There has been considerable progress on the government's commitments to date and Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes measures that continue to support tourism. These include investing in infrastructure that facilitates ease of access and movement for travellers; enhancing the processing capacity for visas; and ensuring that Canadians continue to have safe and reliable road access to parks.

Rendez-vous Canada contributes to the delivery of the FTS by increasing awareness of Canada among international travellers. This event allows international buyers to meet with Canadian sellers and learn more about Canada's tourism products. This year, nearly 400 buyers from 22 countries are represented, along with more than 900 Canadians from 512 organizations and businesses.

Canadian tourism is undergoing healthy growth. In 2012, tourism revenues grew by 4.2 percent, reaching an unprecedented $81.9 billion in current dollars. The number of tourism jobs reached 614,600 for the same period. Once again, Canada has gained global recognition, ranking 8th in the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013.

Visit the Supporting Tourism website for more information on the FTS and other tourism initiatives at www.tourism.gc.ca.