Tourism Manitoba gets $4.5M funding boost to promote province as travel destination
The Manitoba government is giving Tourism Manitoba an additional $4.5 million to promote the province as a travel destination for locals and Canadian tourists across the country looking for a vacation spot closer to home.
"Manitoba has so much to offer," says Tourism Minister Nellie Kennedy. "I encourage everyone to take the time to discover or rediscover the incredible experiences available right here in our province."
The Monday announcement at Qaumajuq at the Winnipeg Art Gallery comes as some Canadian tourists are looking to avoid travelling south after United States President Donald Trump's "51st state" comments and fitful tariffs on Canadian goods started earlier this year.
In February, when Trump's tariffs first went into effect, U.S. border data shows the number of Canadians returning to Manitoba from neighbouring North Dakota and Minnesota by car dropped by 18 per cent compared to last year. Border crossings that month reached lows not seen since travel restrictions loosened after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Slowed cross-border traffic could be a boon for the local tourism economy as Canadians swap U.S. travel plans for staycations and boycott American goods.
Manitoba's tourism industry contributes $373 million in provincial tax revenues and employs more than 25,000 people, says Travel Manitoba's president and CEO Colin Ferguson.
"We are so pleased that this government recognizes the importance of tourism and the role it plays in our province's economic well-being," says Ferguson, adding he thinks the announcement is a great way to kick off National Tourism Week.
He says tourism is a "powerful economic multiplier" that brings in revenue to help fund health care, infrastructure and education. In 2023, 10.4 million visitors spent $1.82 billion dollars in Manitoba, the province said in a press release.
Ten per cent of the new funding —- $450,000 —- has been earmarked for Indigenous Tourism Manitoba to promote Indigenous experiences and highlight the more than 170 Indigenous tourism businesses across the province.
Indigenous Tourism Manitoba CEO Holly Courchene says the growing industry "continues to be a powerful pathway to reconciliation."
Tourism "offers the potential to change perspectives; preserve culture, languages and traditions; and empower Indigenous communities to lead economic development," Courchene says.
"Manitoba is home to many authentic and meaningful Indigenous experiences and this funding will help us support their growth and showcase them to the world."
Kennedy says the tourism industry is a "cornerstone" of the province's economy and cultural landscape.
"Tourism is about more than just numbers, it's about people, places and experiences that make Manitoba unique," Kennedy says.
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