Food tourism gets a boost via Government funding

The Société du réseau ÉCONOMUSÉE will receive a non-repayable contribution of $600,000 over three years from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED): Currently, tourism accounts for 2.5 per cent of Quebec’s gross domestic product ($9.8 billion), and provides 402,000 jobs.

With that funding, the Société du réseau ÉCONOMUSÉE will be able to implement a marketing strategy outside Quebec for local agri-food products in partnership with 10 tourism organizations. This strategy will include, for example, organizing trade missions and participating in international fairs and trade shows abroad with the aim of attracting international clients. It will also involve carrying out marketing and advertising campaigns, along with media placements including the Web and social media. 

“Agri-tourism is a quickly growing sector. By helping organizations like the Société du réseau ÉCONOMUSÉE, our intention is to make Quebec a prime agri-tourism destination, said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED. “This approach helps create wealth in the communities and create or maintain good middle-class jobs.”

Founded in 1992, the Société du réseau ÉCONOMUSÉE is a non-profit organization that works together with many partners with the aim of upholding traditional artisanal and agri-food occupations and expertise. The organization, with its head office in Québec, brings together 44 economuseums in the province. 

Mr. Joël Ligthbound, Member of Parliament for Louis-Hébert and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, made the announcement.”By supporting projects like the one by the Société du réseau ÉCONOMUSÉE, the Government of Canada is enabling visitors to discover all the richness of our traditions. Projects like this help our artisans showcase their expertise, share their passion and make a living out of it, as well as help promote our cultural heritage internationally,” stated MP Lightbound.

This project, entitled “Local Flavours”, will boost the efforts of tourism associations and their members in order to increase awareness, outside Quebec and internationally, of local agri-food products: cheeses, seafood products, northern berries, ciders and wines, and other local delicacies. Through the support of projects like this one, visitors will be able to experience the adventure of gourmet tourism and discover the expertise of the artisans in Quebec’s boutique workshops. 

“Agri-tourism and gourmet tourism are now selection criteria that increasingly more international tourists are using to choose a destination, said Carl-Éric Guertin, the GM of The Société du réseau ÉCONOMUSÉE.  “Its tourism association partners want to provide people with experiences that abound with culinary discoveries and thrilling encounters with highly talented chefs, producers and artisans of Quebec gastronomy as well as promote the many markets, festivals, events, routes and high-producing territories that, with the changing seasons, showcase the variety of Quebec’s local flavours. CED’s support will help achieve the objectives set by the partners.”