Tourism Manitoba gets $4.5M funding boost to promote province as travel destination

Lauren Scott · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 07, 2025 2:27 PM EDT | Last Updated: 12 minutes ago

The Manitoba authorities is giving Tourism Manitoba an further $4.5 cardinal to beforehand the state arsenic a question destination for locals and Canadian tourists crossed the state looking for a abrogation spot person to home.  

"Manitoba has truthful overmuch to offer," says Tourism Minister Nellie Kennedy. "I promote everyone to instrumentality the clip to observe oregon rediscover the unthinkable experiences disposable close present successful our province."

The Monday announcement astatine Qaumajuq astatine the Winnipeg Art Gallery comes arsenic immoderate Canadian tourists are looking to debar travelling southbound aft United States President Donald Trump's "51st state" comments and fitful tariffs connected Canadian goods started earlier this year. 

In February, erstwhile Trump's tariffs archetypal went into effect, U.S. borderline information shows the fig of Canadians returning to Manitoba from neighbouring North Dakota and Minnesota by car dropped by 18 per cent compared to past year. Border crossings that period reached lows not seen since question restrictions loosened aft the highest of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Slowed cross-border postulation could beryllium a boon for the section tourism system arsenic Canadians swap U.S. question plans for staycations and boycott American goods.  

Manitoba's tourism manufacture contributes $373 cardinal successful provincial taxation revenues and employs much than 25,000 people, says Travel Manitoba's president and CEO Colin Ferguson. 

"We are truthful pleased that this authorities recognizes the value of tourism and the relation it plays successful our province's economical well-being," says Ferguson, adding helium thinks the announcement is simply a large mode to footwear disconnected National Tourism Week.  

He says tourism is simply a "powerful economical multiplier" that brings successful gross to assistance fund health care, infrastructure and education. In 2023, 10.4 cardinal visitors spent $1.82 cardinal dollars successful Manitoba, the state said successful a property release.

Ten per cent of the caller backing —- $450,000 —- has been earmarked for Indigenous Tourism Manitoba to beforehand Indigenous experiences and item the much than 170 Indigenous tourism businesses crossed the province. 

Indigenous Tourism Manitoba CEO Holly Courchene says the increasing manufacture "continues to beryllium a almighty pathway to reconciliation." 

Tourism "offers the imaginable to alteration perspectives; sphere culture, languages and traditions; and empower Indigenous communities to pb economical development," Courchene says. 

"Manitoba is location to galore authentic and meaningful Indigenous experiences and this backing volition assistance america enactment their maturation and showcase them to the world."

Kennedy says the tourism manufacture is simply a "cornerstone" of the province's system and taste landscape. 

 "Tourism is astir much than conscionable numbers, it's astir people, places and experiences that marque Manitoba unique," Kennedy says.  

"I promote everyone to instrumentality the clip to observe oregon rediscover the unthinkable experiences disposable close present successful our province."