Tourism Initiative Focuses on Building Multi-Seasonal Traveller Attractions

During an event held in the Twillingate-New World Island area earlier today, the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, released the details of an initiative to support and develop authentic multi-seasonal tourism products and services. This initiative received a total investment of $300,000 in Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Travellers to our province are looking for products and experiences that highlight our unique culture and heritage, and outdoor activities surrounded by our rugged natural landscape,” said Minister French. “We must deliver on their expectations by developing multi-seasonal attractions with supporting infrastructure and service in the right locations, as outlined in Uncommon Potential: A Vision for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism (Vision 2020). This will give tourism operators the opportunity to bring in more visitors and revenues throughout the year. Increased profits for operators result in economic gain for the communities in which they work and live.”

Based on the recommendations of the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board, the first pilot project under this new initiative will be focused on the Twillingate-New World Island area. The purpose of the project is to build on tourism initiatives already happening in the area, and to identify, support, and develop the right tourism products and services that the market is seeking.

Examples of other multi-seasonal tourism attractions already established in the province include the Roots, Rants and Roars festival held in autumn on the Discovery Trail. In addition, there are the ever popular spring-time festivals in Western Newfoundland including Trails, Tails and Tunes, Spring in Your Step, Iceberg Festival, and Feather and Folk Festival, and Cain’s Quest Snowmobile Trek in Labrador.

“The Twillingate-New World Island area has much tourism potential with many icebergs, whales, historical sites, and experiences that reflect our culture and heritage,” said the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Business and MHA for the Isles of Notre Dame. “Several organizations, tourism operators, and municipalities have been actively supporting products and experiences that positively influence the number of visitors to the region. This initiative will complement their work and help develop tourism products that the area and the market can sustain.”

As part of this year’s budget, the Provincial Government will also be looking at seasonal extension projects in other areas of the province, including Labrador and central Newfoundland.

Budget 2011 invests $1.4 million to implement tourism initiatives. Working with destination management organizations and the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board, the goal is to double tourism revenue by 2020 by following the strategic directions outlined in Uncommon Potential: A Vision for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism (Vision 2020).

Newfoundland and Labrador welcomed an unprecedented 518,500 non-resident visitors last year, an increase of 7.3 per cent over the previous year (2009). This was the first time the half-million mark was reached and exceeded in the province. Expenditures by non-resident visitors were over $410 million. Since 2003, the Provincial Government has more than doubled its tourism marketing budget from $6 million to $13 million, and has created an award-winning marketing campaign.

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Media contact:
Diana Quinton
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 631-8155
dianaquinton@gov.nl.ca 

2011 08 15                            11:10 a.m.