NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ONTARIO – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today hosted a roundtable for owners and operators of tourism businesses in the Niagara Region to hear their perspectives on the current challenges and future opportunities facing their industry.

“Domestic and international tourism are major sources of economic activity on the Niagara Peninsula, just as they are in numerous other regions of our country,” said the Prime Minister.  “Thousands of jobs depend on the tourism sector, which is why all levels of government and private industry must work together to promote the many amazing tourism experiences that Canada has to offer.”

More than 1.7 million Canadians depend on tourism-related jobs for their employment.  In the Niagara Region alone more than 20,000 jobs depend on tourism-related activity.

The Prime Minister hosted the roundtable on a rehearsal stage at Niagara-on-the-Lake’s world-renowned Shaw Festival.  As part of its long-term commitment to help grow tourism in Canada, the Harper Government recently invested $2.1 million in the Shaw Festival as part of its Marquee Tourism Events Program.  Shaw Festival organizers used the funding for, among other things, better promotion of their Born Yesterday production in the Toronto market – an investment which resulted in a 40-per cent increase in ticket sales.

“The Shaw Festival is a perfect example of how government, the arts community, and local businesses can co-operate in attracting new visitors and bringing in more tourism dollars,” said the Prime Minister.  “We will continue to work with tourism owners and operators in identifying new ways to support this sector and all of the jobs that depend on it.”

Canada’s Marquee Tourism Events Program provides targeted, time-limited support to existing tourist attractions so that they can enhance their programs and bring additional tourists to Canada during the summer vacation period.