You might be camping this May long weekend, and Banff-Airdrie MP Blake Richards says that is a great way to get ready for Canadian Camping Week and Tourism Week in Canada.

Canadian Camping Week runs May 23 to 28, with Tourism Week in Canada following on May 28 to June 3. Richards is Opposition Critic for Tourism in Ottawa, and sees value in both weeks.

"It's a chance to celebrate an industry that I think a lot of people take for granted a lot of the time. It draws a lot of economic activity and employs a lot of people and creates a lot of businesses."

Richards finds it hard to overstate the importance of tourism to Canada's economy.

"There's actually 1.6 million people in Canada that have a job as a result of the tourism industry, and really it generates a lot of economic activity all across the country, so it's something that we should be celebrating."

Beside its economic importance, Richards says tourism is a way for Canadians to appreciate the natural beauty and diversity that make up our nation.

"How many Canadians can say they've had a chance to visit all the beautiful areas of our country? I mean, I'm one of the few that I think probably gets the opportunity to say that, and it's only been through the fortune of working with the tourism industry that I've had that opportunity, and I can tell you it's something every Canadian should do."

 

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