Air Canada has launched a web site called Canada Loves Toronto (http://www.canadalovestoronto.com/en/index.html), geared toward promoting tourism to the city by advertising deals for travelers. The web site includes listings of cheap flights to Toronto, hotel deals, car-rental deals, low-priced entertainment packages, restaurant packages and discounts on entrance admissions to many Toronto attractions. The subtitle of the site: Great Deals For Your Long Weekend In Toronto, indicates that the city is hoping to recoup some of its losses over the upcoming Victoria Day weekend.
For those who are still concerned about the recent SARS outbreak break in Toronto, city officials insist that the danger has passed. Just in time for Mother’s Day, Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman has unveiled a new city logo: Toronto — You Belong Here, and a new campaign to convince travellers that Toronto is a safe, warm and friendly travel destination. Reports do seem to indicate that the SARS threat in Toronto is over: It has been some time since any new SARS cases have been documented there, and the World Health Organization’s travel advisory was lifted over a week ago.
CTV News reports that the national jobless rate in Canada jumped recently from 7.3% to 7.5%, with the majority of the new unemployment in direct result of Toronto’s lagging tourism industry. Most of these jobs were lost in the public service industries, such as tourism, hotels, and restaurants.
To recoup the tremendous losses they have suffered over the past few weeks, Toronto will be aggressively pursuing tourism dollars. The new “You Belong Here” campaign will first target Torontonians, and future campaigns will target the rest of Canada.
Toronto health officials plan to close one SARS assessment clinic on May 16.
Canada Loves Toronto: Great Deals For Your Long Weekend In Toronto
http://www.canadalovestoronto.com/en/index.html
City of Toronto: You Belong Here Task Force:
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/task_force/sarstaskforce.htm
Canada Reports Further Decline in SARS Cases:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/americas/view/39467/1/.html
CTV Canada: Ottawa adds $10 M to Toronto SARS recovery plan
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1052600272225_118/?hub=TopStories