News release

Tourism Funding To Help Attract European Air Traffic

Tourism, Culture and Heritage (Dec. 2003 - Jan. 2011)

TOURISM, CULTURE AND HERITAGE--Tourism Funding To Help Attract European Air Traffic


The province and the Halifax International Airport Authority are joining forces to bring more European visitors to Nova Scotia.

Tourism, Culture and Heritage Minister, Rodney MacDonald, announced today, March 3, an investment of $600,000 to increase air capacity out of European markets, especially the United Kingdom and Germany.

International air capacity to Halifax and the number of visitors coming from Europe to Nova Scotia have been slowly recovering since a decline in 2002.

"The easier it is to get to Halifax from Europe, the higher the growth potential for visitors will be," said Mr. MacDonald. "The Halifax International Airport has been instrumental in developing air links and markets into Nova Scotia."

The one-time investment will enable the airport authority to augment its efforts in Europe by undertaking marketing activities designed to increase air connections and routes to Nova Scotia. Working with the European travel industry, the authority will promote Nova Scotia as a destination of choice to airlines.

"Increasing European service is a critical part of our strategic marketing plan," said Peter Clarke, acting president and chief operating officer, Halifax International Airport Authority. "This backing will demonstrate to European carriers that we are serious about stimulating the market and it strengthens the business case for providing service to Halifax."

Today's investment is part of $15 million in funding announced by Mr. MacDonald in December 2004. That funding is designed to help boost Nova Scotia's tourism industry in the areas of marketing, product development, and regional tourism initiatives.

Halifax International Airport has broken all previous passenger records, processing 3.2 million passengers in 2004. This surpasses the 3.1 million traffic numbers set in 1999, and represents a 9.1 per cent increase in passenger traffic over 2003.