Thursday, March 28, 1968‘

Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: Mr. Speaker, on continuing the Debate on the Motion for supply, was talking last evening concerning the Tourist Department and I was interrupted so many times I could not seem to get any information across to the House. Therefore, this evening I prepared a little statement with which I thought I might be able to stick more to the point.

I thought I might leave recreation and tourist facilities, recreational complexes, and all these new developments out completely, because they did not seems to be any real interest or probably too much real interest and that’s why there were so many

questions. Walter R. Shaw: Tell us about the tuna. Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell: I’ll do that.

Fortunately, Mr. Speaker, our tourist business has not been subjected to any great degree of uncertainty which has plagued the other sectors, and, for quite a number of years now, we have enjoyed a steady growth of tourism which has aver- aged out at about ten per cent. A corresponding advance in our tourists plants, new motels, parks, recreation and entertainment facilities have been registered. This pours new money into our provincial revenues and has been a benefit on all sectors

of our economy.

It is my intention, as Minister of Tourist Development, to continue to give this important industry the support and encouragement it deserves. Along with others I recognize it as a stabilizing monetary influence in a time of financial crisis such as the world is passing through at the moment. A local industry which can with stand the pressures of a national competition, such as our tourism did, during the Expo year and still show a general increase is one which has earned utmost attention and

support from all responsible people.

We will continue to co-operate with other governments and private agencies whose responsibilities are to develop and promote a healthy tourist industry. We will thus aim our promotional and advertising programs into the general pattern of national and regional efforts to advance the cause of tourism and enhance our

image as a desirable resort area.

In our advertising and our publicity and our general promotional efforts we will continue to create a favourable image by stressing relaxation in an atmosphere

of beautiful landscape, unexcelled beaches, sport fishing, horse racing, golf, fairs and festivals. In short, we hope, by the use of colourful folders and descriptive

write-ups, to create a pleasing and enticing picture of our many vacation assets, 8 picture which Will attract more and more visitors to our shores.

It is our intention this year to concentrate our message in the primary mar- kets, Eastern Canada, the Northeastern United States, and, Wherever feasible, broad- en the space. We expect to do this without any increase in our expenditures, and hope to accomplish it through a more selective media and by expanding our utiliza— tion of regional editions of the larger consumer magazines.

Our basic “ad” campaign once again will be confined to magazines. newspaper, radio and television. Broadly speaking, promotion will be concentrated in mass cir- culation media in Northeastern United States, Ontario, Quebec, with special atten- tion to the French audience to be reached in the French language publications. To back up this advertising and promotional program we will continue to produce our usual high quality literature. These booklets, maps and folders are prepared in the fall and the winter months by the Travel Bureau and they’re mailed or distributed to hundreds of thousands of travel prospects throughout the year. In 1968 we will be issuing additional French language literature and stepping up supplies of exist— ing French booklets and folders. We are also in the process of preparing a special folder outlining all tourist attractions in the Province. An artist’s sketch and a five word write-up on the two or more dozen most popular and best known public and private attractions will be included in this information piece of literature. It will be available for direct mailing and for handling across the counter at our important information centres in Canada and the United States. During the past year we pro— duced a separate book for farm tourist homes. This will be expanded during 1968.

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