TIAC appeals to federal government ahead of budget talks

This week the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance's Pre-Budget Consultations, suggesting a number of measures that would improve tourism growth in Canada.

David McKenna, President of Brewster Travel Canada in Banff, presented on behalf of TIAC and stressed the economic growth potential of Canada's travel and tourism industry, suggesting measures to improve Canada's global competitiveness and seize the enormous opportunity of the US market.Travel and tourism is among the highest performing sectors of the global economy, experiencing average growth of five per cent in 2013 and generating over $1 trillion of annual revenue from over a billion travellers, said a release from TIAC. Canada's growth rate is less than one third of the global average; to achieve five per cent annual growth requires a competitively resourced national marketing agency that balances key markets (including the US), a reduction in the cost of air travel to and within Canada, and a modernized traveller documentation process, said TIAC.

Those measures suggested by TIAC include:- Co-investing in Connecting America, an unprecedented marketing partnership to drive U.S. leisure demand for Canadian vacations.

- Ensuring new eTA rules help, not hinder, traveller facilitation.

- Commence a pilot project to expedite visitation from key markets for the 2015 Pan American Games.

- Pursue transfer without visa to position Canada as a competitive international aviation hub.