Tourism, Culture and Recreation Abounds in 2012

There has been plenty to celebrate this year with respect to tourism, arts, heritage, recreation, and sport in Newfoundland and Labrador, with many achievements supported through ongoing investment by the Provincial Government.

“We made great strides promoting tourism, culture, and recreation throughout the province in 2012,” said the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. “We will continue to work with our partners in the coming year to foster creativity, promote sport, support cultural industries, preserve our heritage, and build our reputation as one of the most engaging destinations in the world.”

Tourism
The Provincial Government’s Find Yourself campaign continues to garner national attention and has won more than 170 regional, national, and international awards since 2006. The Provincial Government remains committed to working with tourism partners, and will continue investing in digital marketing and social media strategies. This year also marked the renewal of the Provincial Government’s $20 million investment in the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership, which has strengthened campaigns targeted towards the United States, as well as overseas markets such as the United Kingdom.

Since 2003, the Provincial Government has more than doubled its tourism marketing budget from $6 million to $13 million. In 2010, tourism spending was valued at approximately $880 million, and visitors to the province topped half a million for the first time.

Arts and Heritage
Arts and heritage continues to play a defining role in shaping the cultural identity of our province, instilling pride among residents and making Newfoundland and Labrador a destination of choice for people around the world. The Provincial Government has invested more than $56 million into the arts, culture and heritage sectors since the launch of its cultural strategy in 2006.

The Provincial Government continues to invest in the restoration of the Colonial Building, with an allocation of $9.5 million this year. With an anticipated opening of 2015, the newly-restored Colonial Building will promote the political history of Newfoundland and Labrador, and will also be home to Provincial Historic Sites staff and heritage-related not-for-profit organizations.

The Provincial Historic Commemorations Program, which recognizes our cultural and historic treasures, honoured six new designates in 2012. Fur trapping, and fish and brewis were designated as distinctive cultural traditions/practices; the founding of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in 1795, the S.S. Newfoundland sealing disaster of 1914, and resettlement under the Smallwood Administration were designated as events of Provincial Significance; and John Nicholas Jeddore was designated a Tradition Bearer.

A partnership with Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador brought Tempting Providence to 71 communities this year. This story of Myra Bennett’s courage and strength as a nurse and midwife became the largest theatre tour ever to take place in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s film and television industry is experiencing exciting growth and making a valuable contribution to the provincial economy – for every $1 the Provincial Government invests, the total Gross Domestic Product return is $2.86.
It is currently projected that $40 million in film and television production activity took place in the province this past year – the highest ever recorded. This activity will have created over 500 direct, indirect and induced full-time employment equivalencies.

Sport and Recreation
Communities in Newfoundland and Labrador are receiving over $1.2 million to support recreation, sport, and active living programs through recreation grants supported by the Provincial Government. So far this fiscal year, the Provincial Government has invested approximately $575,000 in community recreation development grants and $635,000 in capital grants.

This past summer, the Provincial Government supported Harbour Grace and Carbonear as hosts of the 2012 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games with a total of $200,000 to offset operating costs and an additional $150,000 to support travel costs. Since the launch of the Provincial Government’s recreation and sport strategy, Active, Healthy Newfoundland and Labrador (2007), more than $70 million has been committed to recreational and sport infrastructure, programming, and athlete development throughout the province.

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Media contact:
Jason Card
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 631-8155
jasoncard@gov.nl.ca 

2012 12 31             11:20 a.m.