Restaurants Canada welcomes the federal government's announcement that 2018 will be the Canada-China year of tourism. This initiative represents a major opportunity to promote economic collaboration, increase ties between our countries and welcome more Chinese tourists to Canada.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Small Business and Tourism Minister Bardish Chagger promoted the Canada-China year of tourism today as part of their trip to China. Their direct involvement in raising awareness for the program is a sign that the Canadian government recognizes the importance of tourism as a key economic driver for Canada.
As Canada forges new partnerships with Asian countries, it is an exciting challenge to increase Asian tourism here at home. With its large population and constantly expanding middle-class, China could be a great partner to strengthen people-to-people and business-to-business ties on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Tourism activities are especially well suited for such an important endeavour.
"The foodservice industry is at the forefront of tourism in Canada," said David Lefebvre, Vice-President, Federal and Quebec, Restaurants Canada. "It has the well-deserved reputation as being second-to-none in the quality of services it offers. This is a win for both countries."
International tourism accounts for $20 billion in revenue in Canada, of which roughly $1.2 billion comes from Chinese visitors. Restaurants Canada is pleased that the government is working hard to increase it even more, as it represents a huge potential market. The Canada-China year of tourism could not come at a better time.
Next year will be a great opportunity to showcase the best Canada has to offer and Restaurants Canada will be a big part of it. From Feb. 25-27, we will host the RC Show 2018. With over 1,000 exhibitors and eight themed pavilions, it is by far the largest foodservice event in the country. Historically attended by many representatives from the Chinese restaurant and foodservice community, the RC Show 2018 will continue to enhance visitor experience by displaying more diversity than ever before.
Restaurants Canada is a growing community of 30,000 foodservice businesses, including restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. We connect our members from coast to coast, through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant industry. Canada's restaurant industry directly employs 1.2 million Canadians and serves 18 million customers every day.
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Media Contact: Andrew Speller, Communications Specialist at 1-800-387-5649 ext. 4254 or [email protected].
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81747165-a7cf-44aa-87be-7b0331915495