YVR and Destination Canada Sign Historic Agreement to Promote Tourism and Trade

Memorandum of Understanding reinforces tourism's role in Canadian economy

RICHMOND, BC, Jan. 18, 2018 /CNW/ - Today, Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) and Destination Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to strengthen the relationship between the two organizations and to align strategic priorities in air service development, tourism and business opportunities throughout Canada.

"This agreement is great news for Canadian tourism," said the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. "Following Canada 150, and what I expect will be the best year ever for Canadian tourism, this agreement will help bring more tourists to experience all of the great sights and activities our country has become known for around the world. It lays the foundation for what will be another strong year for our industry and partners, as we celebrate the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism."

The purpose of the agreement is to enhance YVR and Destination Canada's respective approaches to increasing tourism and maximizing the impact of resources. It encourages both organizations to share knowledge, expertise and market intelligence to support each other in reaching their respective goals. It also agrees to cooperate in marketing programs in countries of mutual interest, including China, to support destination growth and the growth of key airline partners.

"As the gateway for 25% of all international travellers to Canada, YVR is an important partner for Canada's tourism industry and we're looking forward to expanding that partnership," said David F. Goldstein, President & CEO, Destination Canada. "Under this important agreement we will align our marketing and share our research and data insights for a competitive advantage."

In 2016, YVR partnered with a number of tourism partners, including Destination Canada, to create a "Team YVR" approach to better support new and existing airline partners. The Memorandum of Understanding builds on this partnership, further improving YVR's overall aviation business. It also strengthens the Canadian economy, with every new flight creating new jobs and contributing to Canada's GDP and taxes.

"We are very excited about this agreement with Destination Canada which allows us to strategically align our priorities in target markets to benefit not only YVR but also our airline partners," said Craig Richmond, President & CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. "This is the first agreement of its kind in Canada and complements our Team YVR concept perfectly. Being able to approach airlines with our tourism partners provides them with the necessary support to launch new services, allowing us to continue building YVR as a world-class hub while supporting the economies of British Columbia and Canada."

About Vancouver Airport Authority

Vancouver Airport Authority is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that manages Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Canada's second busiest airport, YVR served 22.3 million passengers in 2016. Fifty-seven airlines serve YVR, connecting people and businesses to more than 127 non-stop destinations worldwide. In 2016, YVR received CAPA Centre for Aviation's prestigious Airport of the Year Award and was voted Best Airport in North America for the eighth consecutive year in the Skytrax World Airport Awards in 2017. Vancouver Airport Authority is a dedicated community partner and in 2016 donated more than $1,000,000 to local organizations. We are committed to creating an airport that British Columbia can be proud of: a premier global gateway, local economic generator and community contributor. For more information, please visit www.yvr.ca.

About Destination Canada

Destination Canada markets Canada internationally as a premier four-season tourism destination. In collaboration with partners in the Canadian tourism industry, Destination Canada creates marketing campaigns designed to showcase the best our country has to offer. Destination Canada also provides research and industry data to our partners?equipping them to optimize their businesses. For more information, please visit: www.destinationcanada.com, follow @DestinationCAN and @ExploreCanada on Twitter.

SOURCE Destination Canada