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It's Your Turn
Current Consultations
Consultations on Services Trade Negotiations
Online Questionnaire for Canadian Businesses
Tourism and Travel Related Services
Background Information:
In 1999, there were over 158,000 firms operating in Canada with approximately 98% of these firms being small and medium enterprises. The tourism sector has been and continues to be seen as a leading growth sector and job creator in the Canadian economy. Tourism revenues generated 546,400 jobs in 2000, an increase of 4.2% over the previous year. This industry has also outstripped the 3.7% employment growth of the total business sector. Out of the total jobs generated by the tourism sector, the accommodation and the food and beverage sub-sectors account for approximately 28% and 27% of the total, respectively.
According to the World Tourism Organization, Canada is one of the most popular destinations in the world, holding the 9th position in 2000 and a 2.9% share of the global international tourism market. Canada was also ranked 9th overall in terms of the world's top tourism revenue earners.
Definition of Sector in the GATS
The classification system that is used in the GATS by most WTO members, divides Tourism and Travel Related Services into the following four categories:
- Hotels and Restaurants;
- Travel Agencies and Tour Operators;
- Tour Guides;
- Other.
What Canada Heard in Earlier Consultations
Consultation have been on going since 1995 with a wide variety of stakeholders including: Canadian Association of Travel Agents, Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Canadian Association of Tour Operators, Hotel Association of Canada, Canadian Tourism Commission, Ottawa-Carleton Tour Guides, BC Association of Tour Guides, Toronto Tour Guides Association, Montreal Guides Association, Quebec Tour Directors Association, Quebec Guides Association, World Federation of Tourist Guides (North American Area).
Stakeholders have identified export interest in the following tourism and travel related services areas:
- Resort development and design;
- Hotel development services;
- Tour guide services;
- Ecotourism.
Priority Markets:
Priority export markets identified in past consultations have included the following:
- United States
- Mexico
- European Union (especially France, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands)
- Singapore
- China
- Japan
- India
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Central America
Market Access Barriers:
Obstacles to trade identified in past consultations have included the following:
- Economic needs tests to open new bars or restaurants;
- Citizenship requirements sometimes imposed for liquor licenses and tourist guide licenses;
- Market access is often guaranteed only to hotels in excess of a certain size, e.g. 50 or 100 rooms, with access for hotels below that size subject to an economic needs test when investing in certain markets;
- In some cases licences are required to invest in another country;
- Investment is restricted to fixed equity limits.
Go directly to the Questionnaire.
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