Culture Leads to New Developments in Bonavista-Trinity

Drawing on the cultural resources in the Bonavista-Trinity area of the province, the Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism has positioned itself as an authority for cultural tourism in Atlantic Canada. With an investment of $209,587, announced today by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, from the Provincial Government, the Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism will be able to expand programming and leverage opportunities to advance the cultural tourism industry.

“The depth of cultural resources in the Bonavista-Trinity area of the province has given rise to an energetic cluster of cultural tourism products,” said the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. “The Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism has capitalized on this activity and is providing training experiences to cultural tourism operators throughout Atlantic Canada. This training marks a key step in increasing professionalism and new business opportunities within the cultural tourism sector.”

Supported by Provincial Government’s investments totalling more than $3.2 million, the Bonavista-Trinity area of the province has earned wide acclaim for its culture from national heritage and cultural groups. The region is home to a diverse collection of heritage and strong cultural partners such as the Rising Tide Theatre, Sir William Ford Coaker Heritage Foundation, Tourism Elliston, Bonavista Historic Townscape Foundation, Trinity Historical Society, and the English Harbour Arts Centre, and private sector companies who are actively involved in cultural tourism.

“I offer congratulations to the Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism, and especially Marilyn Coles Hayley, who nurtured an idea into being recognized as a learning institute for cultural tourism throughout Atlantic Canada,” said Roger Fitzgerald, MHA for Bonavista South. “This funding is another example of how the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development provides funding to economic drivers of our local economy in rural areas of the province.”

Since being established in 2008 through College of the North Atlantic’s Bonavista campus, the Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism has developed courses and training materials, as well as hosted a national conference on cultural tourism. With this investment, the institute will undertake efforts to build new partnerships with Atlantic Canadian operators and organizations, and develop new courses and distance learning programs.

“The Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism is unique in its abilities and what it can offer this sector. It is an excellent example of how to utilize a region’s strengths to offer educational opportunities while developing the potential for local and provincial growth,” said Bruce Hollett, President of College of the North Atlantic. “As a professional development institute for the Atlantic provinces, it highlights best practice examples throughout Atlantic Canada as well as international trends and practices influencing the cultural tourism industry.”

Cultural tourism is a rapidly growing sector of the global tourism industry, averaging 15 per cent growth per year, as travellers seek out new learning and entertaining experiences that are unique to the place they are visiting.

“Focused entirely on the cultural tourism industry, the continued growth and interest in cultural tourism is creating exciting opportunities for the Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism,” said Minister Sullivan. “In addition to offering best-practices, it attracts clients to the area and creates direct and indirect employment opportunities for the region.”

This initiative was funded through the Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund. This program through Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador has $5 million available for investment. Administered by the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, the program provides non-repayable contributions to economic development agencies for initiatives that address regional and sectoral development and diversification.

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2011 05 13                                                                             11:25 a.m.