Airports Welcome Federal Tourism Strategy

Thursday, October 6, 2011 -

OTTAWA (Oct. 6, 2011) – Canada’s airports welcomed the launch today of the federal government’s new tourism strategy as a positive effort to coordinate policy for the benefit the Canada’s competitiveness as a world tourist destination.

“As front doors to the community for tourists to Canada from around the world, Canada’s airports work actively with our partners in tourism and government to raise Canada’s profile with world travellers,” said Canadian Airports Council Chair and Saskatoon Airport Authority President and CEO Bill Restall. “A Federal Tourism Strategy is a welcome development for our sector and we look forward to supporting a efforts to improve Canada’s tourism competitiveness. The CAC sees this as a positive effort toward a coordinated and comprehensive approach to national air transportation"”

One of the key components of the Federal Tourism Strategy is a commitment by government to form a committee across 15 departments and agencies with a role in tourism.  The aim is to implement an integrated approach to the federal government’s role with industry and other levels of government to support of an internationally competitive tourism sector.

“Tourism is a $74 billion industry for Canada and an important source of employment, but Canada’s standing in the world as a tourist destination has been on the decline amid emerging competitor markets,” said CAC President Daniel-Robert Gooch.  “Today’s announcement is a solid commitment from government to work together to regain Canada’s competitive position.”

The Canadian Airports Council has a track record of working with partners in the tourism sector on areas of tourism policy as one of the founding members of the National Roundtable on Travel and Tourism. This coalition also includes partner associations representing the tourism, hotel and air carriers sector.

About the Canadian Airports Council

The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) is the voice for Canada’s airports.  Its 46 members represent more than 200 airports, including all of the National Airports System (NAS) airports and most significant municipal airports in every province and territory. Together, CAC members handle virtually all of the nation’s air cargo and international passenger traffic and 95% of domestic passenger traffic.  They create in excess of $45 billion in economic activity in the communities they serve.  And more than 200,000 jobs are directly associated with CAC member airports, generating a payroll of more than $8 billion annually.