New Brunswick announces new five-year tourism strategy

The New Brunswick government’s five-year tourism plan aims to significantly increase revenue.

The Government of New Brunswick has unveiled its five-year tourism plan, which aims to increase annual tourism revenues by $1 billion, reaching $3.7 billion within the five years.

“The Fresh Perspective: New Brunswick Tourism Strategy 2026-2031” is the result of a public consultation that included a survey that received more than 8,600 responses and regional sessions with Indigenous communities, industry partners and operators.

“Developed in collaboration with the public, this strategy is both ambitious and unifying,” said Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister Isabelle Thériault. “It outlines a clear path to grow our economy, reignite pride in our communities, and enable every region of New Brunswick to fully thrive.”

The 10 main priorities of the strategy focus on showing all seasons of the province, promoting outdoor adventures, celebrating Acadian and Indigenous cultures and bringing more events to local communities:

• define and celebrate New Brunswick strengths
• adopt a regenerative tourism mindset
• build on New Brunswick’s Quebec advantage
• expand New Brunswick’s Ontario market
• grow New Brunswick’s United States market
• defined strategy by season
• group regions for coordinated support
• embed tourism in economic development
• set strategic investment criteria
• leverage event tourism for year-round growth

Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick CEO Ginette Doiron feels like it is a very strong strategy.

Doiron said increasing the yearly tourism revenues by $1 billion can be done through new goals and objectives that provide an opportunity to be innovative.

“Part of the strategy is to reach new markets. To market to maybe tourists that weren’t coming before in different regions,” said Doiron. “Bringing more tourists into our region. Creating more products to make them want to come into our region.”

She added the strategy was built to make sure it can help support small to medium businesses.

Phyllis Sutherland owns Ponderosa Pines Campground in Lower Cape and is the president of Fundy Tourism NB.

Sutherland, who’s been in tourism for 60 years, was part of the consultation meetings that were held with the province.

She thinks the strategy is mostly positive because tourism operators are part of the process.

“I don’t remember seeing that very much before and I’ve really felt the emphasis on the need for tourism operators to be consulted a lot more and to be included in their plan,” said Sutherland. “They haven’t been listening to tourism operators enough. They have a wealth of knowledge to share because they’re the frontline workers. The operators are the ones who interact with clients, the tourists.”

Sutherland is a bit disappointed there wasn’t more emphasis on infrastructure, especially the roads in Albert County, and hopes to see more of a roll for the province’s First Nations communities.

Alma Community Tourism President Kris Kelly is encouraged the province will increase tourism spending.

Kelly, the owner of Timber & Tides Mercantile and Timber & Tides Suites, is urging the province to include existing tourism groups and operators in the implementation process.

“Doing so will help ensure that the strategy is both viable and sustainable, directly benefiting those on the front lines of our tourism industry,” said Kelly in an email to CTV News.

As far as tourism from this past summer, Doiron said it was a really good season.

“We’ve seen a lot of growth,” said Doiron.

Doiron said the final numbers are not in just yet, but it’s looking like one of the best seasons since 2019.

“Which is very, very exciting and that’s pre-strategy that we just launched yesterday so it’s only going to get better from here,” said Doiron.

Tourism was way up in Sutherland’s neck of the woods too with an increase in visitors from Quebec, Ontario, the United States and Europe.

“We were very busy. Our personal business went up over 30 per cent,” said Sutherland. “That’s a big chunk. The biggest ever in 60 years.”

The province says tourism currently generates $2.7 billion for New Brunswick’s economy each year and creates thousands of jobs across the province.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.