Expansion of Canada's tourism brand into high-growth emerging markets has potential for greater return on investment

MUMBAI, India - Following swiftly on the heels of the federal budget, the Canadian Tourism Commission is embarking on a strategy to enter the tourism market in India, a country with a rapidly growing middle-class and outward-bound potential. The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and Andrew Clark, the CTC's Vice President of Sales and Market Development were in Mumbai, India today to launch the new campaign for priority international markets.

"The Government of Canada forecasts an upcoming increase in tourism to Canada from India, and we invite you to visit our country," said Minister Clement. "Our two countries share a commonwealth background and already have many strong ties through immigration and two-way trade."

Michele McKenzie, the CTC's President and CEO, said, "Budget 2009 provided the CTC with a tremendous economic opportunity to expand investment into a high-growth emerging market like India. Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and the further expansion of Canada's tourism brand into high-growth markets can provide increasing rates of growth in the short and long-term. Prudent diversification keeps us from being overly reliant on mature tourism markets."

In Budget 2009: Canada's Economic Action Plan, the CTC received an additional $20 million over the next two years for development of priority international markets.

Since 1995, tourism from India to Canada has grown about 6.9 % per year. Entry into the India market is aligned with the CTC's corporate strategy to inspire high-yield customers to visit Canada, to focus on markets of highest return on investment and to respond quickly to changing market dynamics.

Andrew Clark, Vice-President of Sales and Market Development for the CTC said, "The CTC is currently well-positioned to leverage its expertise to generate success in emerging economies like India due to Canada's highly successful tourism brand, strong research capabilities, excellent strategies, and marketing and sales tools. Our tourism marketing has already had significant success in emerging markets such as Mexico, South Korea and China and these three countries now represent some of the potentially strongest growth markets in the CTC's portfolio."