ÉCONOMUSÉE® Network Society to provide a new sustainable tourism support service with the help of Government of Canada funding Français
Almost $40 million for the recovery of Quebec's tourism sector: the Québec organization obtains $200,000 in funding from CED.
QUÉBEC, July 5, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)
Supporting the tourism industry contributes to economic development in Quebec's regions. That is why Joël Lightbound, Member of Parliament for Louis-Hébert, on behalf of the Honourable Pascale St‑Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED, today announced a non‑repayable contribution of $200,000 for the ÉCONOMUSÉE® Network Society (ÉNS).
This Government of Canada support aims to help the Québec-based organization overcome the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and adopt sustainable practices that will allow Quebec businesses to be more competitive and meet the criteria and indicators of an internationally recognized sustainable tourism certification standard.
In concrete terms, CED's support under the Tourism Relief Fund will allow the ÉNS to hire resources specializing in sustainable development so that it can adapt its services to meet new client expectations with respect to sustainable tourism practices.
The ÉCOMOMUSÉE® Network Society is a sectoral tourism association that was founded in 1992. It has 49 members in 15 tourism regions across the province. The Society owns the ÉCONOMUSÉE® concept—an artisanal business that showcases its know-how—and oversees the implementation of tourism concepts. It helps businesses create real-life experiments designed to convey traditional know‑how relating to arts and crafts, agri-food and other intangible heritage practices. The current project will enhance circuits and micro-destinations and will allow its members to adapt to the impacts of climate change and environmental issues.
A key contributor to the Canadian economy, the tourism sector has been hard hit by the health crisis. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Government of Canada has put various measures in place to support businesses experiencing the impacts of COVID-19. The Tourism Relief Fund, which was launched in July 2021, was created specifically to help tourism businesses and organizations provide visitors with innovative products and services and get ready to welcome back international travellers.
"The tourism industry has been hard hit by the pandemic, and our government is committed to assisting key players as they prepare for a strong rebound. We have been there with concrete measures since the beginning of this unprecedented situation, and we will continue to be there to support tourism as the health situation evolves. We need to take advantage of the opportunities that are being created to rethink the industry's products and services. We are planning the economic recovery, and this can only be done with the contribution of tourism stakeholders so that, together, we can come back even stronger, more resilient and greener than before."
Joël Lightbound, Member of Parliament for Louis-Hébert
"The ÉCONOMUSÉE Network Society, a name that has been associated with quality in the tourism industry for over three decades, is making a shift that our government is proud to support. With the help of the funding announced today, the ÉNS will be able to prepare for the future and better support its member organizations within a context of sustainable development. Initiatives such as these are key to the current tourism sector recovery. Attracting tourists from Canada and around the world to experience the best tourism experiences our country has to offer is a priority for us."
The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Member of Parliament for Brome–Missisquoi, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED
"Tourism is one of the sectors in Canada most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to support this sector during this difficult period. We will also continue to make safety our top priority and ensure businesses receive the assistance they need to quickly regain their footing and prosper. The Tourism Relief Fund will help businesses adjust, enhance their products and services and get ready to welcome back their clients. It feeds into a broader strategy to help the sector get through the pandemic, recover and grow. The Canadian economy will not fully recover until our tourism sector recovers."
The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance
"This support project will enable our member companies to adopt sustainable practices and will guide them through a structured approach towards the achievement of an internationally recognized sustainable tourism certification standard. The project will help businesses in the Network set themselves apart and be more attractive to visitors and tour operators looking for committed businesses."
Carl-Éric Guertin, Director General of the ÉCONOMUSÉE® Network Society
- Tourism accounts for $102 billion in annual economic activity, 1.8 million jobs and 2% of Canada's GDP.
- Today's announcement is part of a series of CED announcements confirming a total investment of almost $40 million in the economy of tomorrow. These strategic investments will target projects that support the recovery of the tourism industry.
- The funding comes from the Tourism Relief Fund, which was specifically created to help tourism businesses and organizations offer innovative products and services for visitors and prepare to welcome international travellers again.
- CED is the key federal partner for regional economic development in Quebec. Through its 12 regional business offices, CED helps businesses, support organizations and the regions of Quebec prepare for the economy of tomorrow.
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SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Media Relations, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, [email protected]; Ariane Joazard-Bélizaire, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, [email protected]
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