Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1120525
TRAVEL MANITOBA Bloodvein River Photo: Dustin Silvey T hanks to our province's incredible wildlife, vibrant culture and unique tourism experiences, Manitoba was selected by Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 regions in the world to visit in 2019 in their annual Best in Travel campaign. This designation by a leading global travel media company shows there is worldwide interest in Manitoba's tourism experiences. This win for our province's tourism industry came as the final touches were being put on a plan to grow tourism in Manitoba. This April, the Manitoba Government, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and Travel Manitoba launched the Provincial Tourism Strategy for Manitoba. Built on extensive research, analysis and community engagement, this strategy outlines a plan to increase tourist expenditures to $2.2 billion from $1.6 billion by 2022. "There is significant demand for the types of travel experiences Manitoba can offer, including northern and Indigenous tourism and world-class water-based experiences such as fishing, paddling and A ROADMAP FOR TOURISM GROWTH IN MANITOBA lakeside recreation," said Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen in a release. "The strategy provides us with a roadmap to capitalize on these opportunities by setting clear goals and working together to position Manitoba as a unique and vibrant four-season destination." The strategy references the long-term potential to double tourism's contribution to GDP from 3% to the current national average of 6% of Canada's tourism industry overall. This represents unprecedented opportunity for the tourism sector to maximize economic growth. "It is a tremendous accomplishment that the Government of Manitoba, Travel Manitoba and the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce have all come together to build on the momentum occurring in this province," said Stuart Murray, Travel Manitoba Board Chair and Co-Chair of the Provincial Tourism Strategy Steering Committee. "Working in collaboration toward a common tourism vision will allow us to attain uncommon results."