News Release

For Immediate Release
March 4, 2005

E-commerce Opportunities For Tourism Operators

Sydney, Nova Scotia – Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) is assisting tourism operators on Cape Breton Island to enhance their presence on the Internet. The E-commerce Website Development Program, established in November 2004, is available to tourism operators for website development or upgrading. Funding for this initiative is only confirmed until March 31, 2005.

The tourism industry is an important component of the Cape Breton economy and this program enables operators to better market and sell their services, thus improving revenues.

In today’s marketplace many travelers use the Web to research tourist destinations. They look to the Internet for immediate answers. With enhanced E-commerce capabilities, Cape Breton tourism operators will provide visitors with the information they need and enable them to make reservations on-line.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation will provide a non-repayable contribution of up to 75 per cent of the total eligible costs to a maximum of $10,000. General costs pertaining to consultants’ fees, computer hardware, training, software and licensing may be eligible under this initiative.

For more information, contact ECBC’s Director General of Commercial Programs, Marlene Usher, at 564-3600.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation offers programs in support of economic development initiatives and is responsible for delivering Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s programs on Cape Breton Island and in the Mulgrave area.

FOR BROADCAST USE ONLY:

ECBC IS ASSISTING TOURISM OPERATORS ON CAPE BRETON ISLAND TO ENHANCE THEIR PRESENCE ON THE INTERNET.

THE E-COMMERCE WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO TOURISM OPERATORS FOR WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT OR UPGRADING UNTIL MARCH 31, 2005.

WITH GREATER INTERNET PRESENCE VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION THEY NEED AND MAKE RESERVATIONS ON LINE.

ECBC WILL PROVIDE A NON-REPAYABLE CONTRIBUTION OF UP TO
75 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL ELIGIBLE COSTS TO A MAXIMUM OF
$10,000. ELIGIBLE COSTS CAN INCLUDE CONSULTANTS’ FEES, COMPUTER HARDWARE, TRAINING, SOFTWARE AND LICENSING.

For More Information Contact:

D.A. Landry
ECBC Communications
Tel: (902) 564-3617