Communique
Atlantic Mayors Consider Regional Approach to Tourism Promotion
(HALIFAX-Saturday, April 26/2003)-- The Atlantic Mayors' Congress plans to explore the potential of taking a collective approach to tourism promotion.
Mayors of 15 of the largest municipalities in Atlantic Canada, meeting in Halifax yesterday and today, endorsed a resolution by Moncton Councillor Doug Robertson that a committee be struck to explore the benefits of a regional approach to tourism.
Mayor Peter Kelly, of the Halifax Regional Municipality and Chair of the Congress, said delegates felt there could be considerable merit in combining their collective resources and promoting tourism in the region as a whole.
Rather than competing against each other, collective resources and tourism promotion dollars could be put to better use by encouraging tourists to visit all of the major attractions in the region; not necessarily on their first visit, but on a number of return visits, he said.
"Our tourism dollars will go a lot further if we work together. We should be working on the basis that visitors to the Atlantic region will return time after time to see the many unique and wonderful sights and attractions. We would all be winners eventually by taking this approach," Mayor Kelly said.
Councillor Robertson suggested that a "Passport Atlantic" campaign could be developed, offering prizes to tourists, based on the number of sights they visited. It would also offer discounts on hotels, restaurants and car rentals.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
Chair, Atlantic Mayors' Congress
(902) 490-4010 or (902) 222-9999
John O'Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
(902) 490-6531
(902) 490-4044 (fax)
e-mail www.obrienj@region.halifax.ns.ca
