National Advocacy

Prime Minister Harper Highlights Tourism Growth in China

Canada’s newly unveiled tourism marketing campaign in China will help to spur economic growth and create jobs across the country said the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC). Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched Canada’s 2012 marketing campaign, as well as the opening of a Beijing office for the Canadian Tourism Commission, as part of his trade mission to China. To read more, please click here http://www.tiac.travel/english/press/2012/2012_feb_8.htm

Industry Survey - Canadian Tourism Commission

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) is Canada’s national tourism marketing organization. Together with the industry and government partners, CTC has been extremely successful in developing a strong tourism brand for Canada. Their international marketing campaigns and programs increase the market potential of every tourism business in Canada, large and small. The CTC wants to ensure your business is receiving the vital tourism information and marketing knowledge that you feel you need. They also want to determine if creating a community where tourism businesses can connect with each other to learn and share best practices is something they should be exploring.  The following survey has been created to provide them with this important information. Please click here http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22EC4DUCB7X  

The Pillaging of Hotel Profits - The Hotel Industry Might be its Own Worst Enemy

By Nicholas Carson, Chairman of The Hotel Association of Canada, and General Manager of the Prince George Hotel and Gio Restaurant in Halifax, NS.
Many hotels - brands and independents alike - have awakened to acknowledge that they have passed too much control and too much inventory over to on-line travel agencies. The total fees we are now paying third parties to peddle our inventory to masses of bargain-hunters has escalated to levels that cause alarming erosion of profit margins - levels that are simply unsustainable.

Make Tourism Matter - Election 2011

During the federal election in May, TIANS encouraged members to talk to their local candidate regarding their strategies surrounding tourism priorities and issues. TIANS prepared a document to assist our Industry in those discussions. Some of the core positions in this document are aligned with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. You can read more about TIAC's tourism policy challenge to the candidates at: Gateway to Growth. TIAC also has profiled the parties' tourism election platforms at: 2011 Elections

The Signature Experiences Collection is here. Get ready to make your mark for Canada.

Recently the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) unveiled the Signature Experiences Collection program which is now accepting applications. The Signature Experiences Collection program is an innovative initiative of the Canadian Tourism Commission to build a collection of experiences that will be showcased in their marketing, media and sales activities. Travelers around the world are telling CTC all that they want to explore and live a life that's less ordinary. CTC has promised them that Canada is the place where they can fulfill this dream and Canada's tourism operators are key to delivering on that promise. The Signature Experiences Collection will showcase to the world what Canada's tourism brand is all about & inspire travelers' to choose Canada now. CTC is asking you to help them discover those extra-ordinary experiences that will intrigue consumers and entice them to pick Canada over the competition. They're looking for new experiences to become part of this growing collection. TIANS encourages all eligible tourism businesses to apply today at www.canada.travel/SEC. 

2011 Federal Budget Tabled

On March 22, 2011, the Minister of Finance, James M. Flaherty, tabled the Conservative government's sixth federal budget. Click here to view a summary of the tax measures that were announced in this budget.

Canadians Drive to the US for Less Expensive Airline Tickets - Latest Results From 2011 Canadian Travel Intentions Survey

On February 16th the Hotel Association of Canada issued a press release that highlighted recent research that identifies an alarming trend affecting the Canadian Tourism Industry. More and more Canadians are travelling by car to the United States to purchase less expensive airline tickets. Twenty-one per cent of leisure travellers said they travelled by car to a United States airport in 2010 to take a trip using less expensive airline tickets purchased for U.S. or foreign travel, and an additional 11 per cent said although they had not done so in the past, they might travel to the U.S. for cheaper travel in 2011. This is up from 18 per cent from 2010. To view the complete media release, please click here.

New Sections in Credit & Debit Card Code Took Effect on February 17th

Element one of the voluntary Code of Conduct for the Credit and Debit Card Industry in Canada has come into effect. This element requires increased transparency and disclosure by payment card networks and their payment processors. TIANS continues to support the "Stop Sticking it to us Campaign". This issue is of priority concern for the Provincial and Territorial Industry Associations across Canada. For more information, please click here.