Canada has soared past the U.S. to become the fifth-ranked country in the world when it comes to ideal locations for developing the travel and tourism industry, according to a new report.
But Canada's pristine natural image, which is one of the factors driving Canada's high ranking, could be at risk, according to the World Economic Forum.
``Canada's natural resources constitute a key strength,'' according to
the Geneva-based think-tank's annual assessment of the tourism industry's status and viability in 133 countries.
Canada jumped to fifth place from ninth while the U.S. fell from seventh to eighth in the WEF annual rankings.
Switzerland, Austria and Germany remain the top three, holding identical spots to 2008, while France jumped from 10th to fourth in the new ranking.
The unstable and impoverished African nation of Chad is in last place.
While the WEF points out that Canada has nine sites recognized by the United Nations as world heritage areas, it noted that Canada's reputation is in question by Canadian tourism industry executives in areas such as carbon dioxide emissions and the number of endangered species.
``This is of particular concern given the importance of the natural environment for Canada's tourism, coupled with the fact that, in recent years, sustainable tourism has become a sensitive issue among consumers.''
The WEF, which interviewed about 13,000 executives around the world, including 79 Canadians, assesses a variety of factors that make countries attractive for tourism developers.
They including transport and tourism infrastructure such as highways and air services, as well as regulatory issues, access to labour, safety and security, health, government policy toward tourism, and natural and cultural resources.
WEF spokeswoman Jennifer Blanke said Canada gained ground in this year's survey partly because countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia fell sharply in several areas.
She noted that Canada's ranking is aided by ``excellent'' natural and cultural resources, the world's top-ranked air infrastructure system, and a perception in the business community that Canadian governments are making more efforts to promote tourism overseas.
She said it's unclear whether a recent attack on Canada's image as a credible environmental steward will impact the 2010 results.
The internationally-renowned magazine National Geographic, in a glossy photo spread, presented a devastatingly bleak account of northern Alberta's landscape as a result of the oilsands industry.
source : www.ottawacitizen.com/Canada+improves+ranking+tourism+industry+development/1353393/story.html
But Canada's pristine natural image, which is one of the factors driving Canada's high ranking, could be at risk, according to the World Economic Forum.
``Canada's natural resources constitute a key strength,'' according to
the Geneva-based think-tank's annual assessment of the tourism industry's status and viability in 133 countries.Canada jumped to fifth place from ninth while the U.S. fell from seventh to eighth in the WEF annual rankings.
Switzerland, Austria and Germany remain the top three, holding identical spots to 2008, while France jumped from 10th to fourth in the new ranking.
The unstable and impoverished African nation of Chad is in last place.
While the WEF points out that Canada has nine sites recognized by the United Nations as world heritage areas, it noted that Canada's reputation is in question by Canadian tourism industry executives in areas such as carbon dioxide emissions and the number of endangered species.
``This is of particular concern given the importance of the natural environment for Canada's tourism, coupled with the fact that, in recent years, sustainable tourism has become a sensitive issue among consumers.''
The WEF, which interviewed about 13,000 executives around the world, including 79 Canadians, assesses a variety of factors that make countries attractive for tourism developers.
They including transport and tourism infrastructure such as highways and air services, as well as regulatory issues, access to labour, safety and security, health, government policy toward tourism, and natural and cultural resources.
WEF spokeswoman Jennifer Blanke said Canada gained ground in this year's survey partly because countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia fell sharply in several areas.
She noted that Canada's ranking is aided by ``excellent'' natural and cultural resources, the world's top-ranked air infrastructure system, and a perception in the business community that Canadian governments are making more efforts to promote tourism overseas.
She said it's unclear whether a recent attack on Canada's image as a credible environmental steward will impact the 2010 results.
The internationally-renowned magazine National Geographic, in a glossy photo spread, presented a devastatingly bleak account of northern Alberta's landscape as a result of the oilsands industry.
source : www.ottawacitizen.com/Canada+improves+ranking+tourism+industry+development/1353393/story.html
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