National Airlines Council of Canada welcomes government attention to aviation and tourism sectors

OTTAWA, April 21, 2015 /CNW/ - The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC), the industry trade association representing Canada's largest passenger air carriers, welcomes new measures announced in today's federal budget regarding passenger facilitation and  tourism marketing. Coupled with the launch of the Air Industry Standing Ministerial Advisory Committee which held its inaugural meeting today, these steps underline the importance of Canada's aviation sector.   

"Canada's aviation cost-structure, where government taxes and high third-party fees are downloaded on end-users, including travellers, is the single largest competitive challenge for the sector.  Minister Raitt's Advisory Committee is a great forum for identifying concrete steps to ensure that Canada's aviation does what it does best – create jobs and stimulate trade, travel and tourism," said Marc-André O'Rourke, Executive Director of the NACC.

The 2015 federal budget expands the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program to travellers from Brazil, Mexico, Bulgaria and Romania.  "Canada's major airlines recognize that making it faster and easier to visit Canada is fundamental to expanding business, trade and travel.  Expanding the eTA is a very positive step", added O'Rourke.

Canada's major airlines also welcome the 2015 federal budget's support for the Tourism Industry Association of Canada's "Connecting America" tourism marketing proposal.  This project-based funding will match industry investment with respect to the U.S. leisure market with a campaign run by the Canadian Tourism Commission.

About the National Airlines Council of Canada

The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) is the trade association representing Canada's largest national and international passenger air carriers:  Air Canada, Air Transat, Jazz Aviation LP and WestJet.  We promote safe, sustainable and competitive air travel through the development of policies, regulations and legislation that foster a world-class transportation system.  Collectively, our member airlines carry over 50 million passengers annually, directly employ 46,000 people and create over 260,000 jobs.

The NACC is also a member of the National Roundtable on Travel and Tourism (NRTT), a partnership of Canadian travel and tourism organizations:  the Canadian Airports Council, the Hotel Association of Canada, the International Air Transport Association and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.  

SOURCE National Airlines Council of Canada

Marc-André O'Rourke, Executive Director, National Airlines Council of Canada, Tel.: [phone] ext. 103, [email protected]; Visit our website at www.airlinecouncil.ca