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Rick Mercer: Tories Missed The Boat On Tourism

Mercer Slams Tories For Missing The Boat On Tourism

The Harper government's decision not to fund Canadian tourism ads in the U.S. has damaged the industry, Ricker Mercer says in his latest rant.

Mercer points out that the Harper government stopped funding tourism ads in the U.S. — Canada’s largest tourism market — two years ago.

He says the one thing all Canadians understand is that “a low dollar is good for the tourism industry.

“You can't have a tourism industry without advertising. Look at those Newfoundland tourism ads, boy have they ever paid off,” Mercer said. “Tourism is now a $1 billion dollar industry in Newfoundland. Yes with a B.”

In 2013, nearly 500,000 tourists spent approximately $470 million in Newfoundland, according to a report by its Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

“In 2000, Canada was on the top ten list of most visited countries in the world,” Mercer said. “Now we are 18th.”

The only politician talking about this? Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.

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