Trudeau continues to fail the hard-hit tourism sector | Jan 14, 2022
January 14, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON – Michelle Ferreri, Conservative Shadow Minister for Tourism, and Bernard Généreux, Deputy Shadow Minister for Tourism, issued the following statement in response to the exclusion of Independent Travel Agents from federal tourism reliefs aimed at helping the sector weather the COVID-19 pandemic:
“Almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trudeau government has failed to offer an inclusive, and robust strategy to maintain and revitalize the Canadian tourism sector.
“The Independent Travel Agents industry has been severely impacted by shutdowns and Level 3 travel advisories. As a key part of the travel and tourism recovery sector for both domestic and international travel, there has been zero revenue support offered to the independent travel industry. In fact, since the pandemic started, many advisors have been forced to repay commission recalls from tour operators that date back 6 to 12 months.
“Independent Travel Agents are independently employed, and are a key contributor to the Canadian economy, supporting tour operators, airlines, hotels, restaurants, limo services, and tour guide services, among many other travel-related aspects of the tourism industry.
“Canada’s Conservatives will continue to be the voice of those left behind in Justin Trudeau’s failed economic recovery. To rebuild our economy, it is essential that we support all parts of the tourism sector.”