$8 million to stimulate and accelerate tourism projects north of the 49th parallel

QUÉBEC, April 8, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Gouvernement du Québec is proud to announce $8 million for the creation and implementation of an incubator-accelerator. Its objective will be to stimulate tourism projects north of the 49^th parallel and thus contribute to the territory's economic dynamism.  Over the next few years, it will support the realization of structuring and sustainable projects, which will upgrade the quality of the nature-culture-adventure offering and enhance the structuring and commercialization of tourism products.

The Minister of Tourism, Caroline Proulx, and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Côte-Nord region, Jonatan Julien, made the announcement today.  They took the opportunity to announce $5 million of government support for Air Tunilik.

The incubator-accelerator will offer Nord du Québec promoters support tailored to the key stages of business plan production, financial setup and implementation of their tourism projects.  This support will allow tourism projects of entrepreneurs and local communities to emerge, while accelerating the processes so that they materialize more quickly.

This project will be advanced by three sectoral tourism associations recognized for their expertise in nature-culture tourism - the Québec Outfitters Federation, Indigenous Tourism Québec and Aventure Écotourisme Québec. Its intervention model will be developed in collaboration with northern Québec partners, particularly the regional tourism associations and Indigenous communities.

Quotation:

"The territory located north of the 49^th parallel, whose unique attractions confirm Québec's reputation as a destination not to be missed, has the potential to become an internationally renowned tourist destination.  The incubator-accelerator will allow northern Québec tourism entrepreneurs to be supported by experts so that their projects can materialize more quickly, to the benefits of the communities in which they will be established.  In accordance with the principles of sustainable and responsible development, these projects will favour an even more attractive regional tourism offering when larger-scale tourism resumes. " 

Caroline Proulx, Minister of Tourism 

"The 2020-2023 Northern Action Plan seeks to promote local economic diversification by preferring key sectors of activity, such as northern tourism.  The financial backing announced today will allow support for promising local tourism initiatives north of the 49^thparallel and development of this great territory's tourism potential, for the benefit of Québec as a whole. "

Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Côte-Nord region

"Tourism is bound to occupy a greater place in the economic development of northern Québec's regions. The creation of an incubator-accelerator intended to propel promising tourism projects is excellent news for all communities, including Indigenous communities, established in this vast and magnificent territory. I am proud that we are supporting tourism stakeholders north of the 49^th parallel and their partners in the development and implementation of initiatives. These initiatives will put the spotlight on their creativity, their specialized knowledge of the territory and the diversity of experiences that can be offered to visitors.  "

Ian Lafrenière, Minister responsible for Indigenous Affairs

"We want to set up an incubator-accelerator that is both innovative and agile, that will be based on solid foundations and lasting relationships.  The expertise of the three sectoral associations specializing in the nature-culture-adventure axis and the concerted action of the stakeholders in the community will be at the core of the approach.  The incubator-accelerator will have to act as a catalyst of structuring projects that will upgrade the tourism offering for everyone's benefit.  "

Marc Plourde, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Québec Outfitters Federation

"The intervention model will be developed in cohesion with the local communities and the territorial issues.  Respect for cultural values and sustainable development will be part of the basic selection criteria. In addition, the sustainability of the approach and the transfer of expertise from south to north will play a central role in our reflections.  "

Dave Laveau, Executive Director of Indigenous Tourism Québec

"The growth of tourism in the nature-culture-adventure axis represents an important opportunity for Québec. Thanks to its customized formula, the incubator-accelerator will propel safe and distinctive new experiences north of the 49^th parallel. "

Pierre Gaudreault, Executive Director of Aventure Écotourisme Québec

Highlights:

• The incubator-accelerator project has an envelope of $8 million, half of which comes from the Ministère du Tourisme and the other half from Société du Plan Nord under the 2020-2023 Northern Action Plan (2020-2023 NAP).
  
  
• Of the $8 million invested, $6 million is intended to support the implementation of business projects that will have benefited from backing. The conditions of the incubator-accelerator project will be disclosed at a later date.
  
  
• This project is part of Measure 2.1.1 Develop the northern tourism sector of Key Direction 2 ? A robust, diversified economic fabric of 2020-2023 NAP.
  
  
• 2020-2023 NAP responds to the priorities set out by the Northern Québec stakeholders. It seeks to provide the appropriate tools to the communities concerned so they can fully inhabit their territory.
  
  
• The 49 socioeconomic actions of 2020-2023 NAP were developed jointly by 20 departments and bodies of the Gouvernement du Québec.
  
  
• The Gouvernement du Québec thus will invest $778.6 million, more than half of the amount provided for in 2020-2023 NAP, to support businesses and citizens established and active north of the 49^th parallel.

Related links:

You can consult the complete version of 2020-2023 NAP on the Société du Plan Nord website: plannord.gouv.qc.ca.

Follow the deployment of 2020-2023 NAP on Twitter: @PlanNord.

Ministère du Tourisme on social media:

https://twitter.com/tourisme_quebec/

https://www.facebook.com/TourismeQc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/22322371

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3ASu9yRbDiJH6pErSzeLrw

SOURCE Cabinet de la ministre du Tourisme