Tourism Market Readiness Subsidy Program

Who is eligible?

This program is designed to enhance the market readiness of tourism services and products in Canada. Eligible participants must demonstrate specific commitments to industry standards and tourism development.

• Private sector operators such as owners, managers, or senior personnel from tourism operations, but not front-line staff.
• Non-commercial or non-profit organizations including municipalities and entities that benefit provincial tourism directly.
• Applicants must be in good standing and meet all regulatory requirements including licensing under the Tourism Establishment Act.
• Participants must have been in business for at least one year or operated for at least one season.
• Organizations must communicate their experiences to tourism stakeholders in their regions.
• Eligible sectors must involve initiatives that enhance market readiness, such as best practice missions or programs focusing on experiential travel and sustainability.

Who is not eligible

This grant does not explicitly exclude any specific companies or industries based on status or main activity. However, eligibility is primarily defined by certain positive criteria rather than exclusions.

Eligible expenses

This grant is aimed at improving tourism services and products by enhancing their market readiness and quality. The eligibile programs focus on experiential travel, sustainable practices, and learning from successful development models.

• Participation in Best Practice Missions, which expose tourism operators to effective development and marketing strategies from other destinations.
• Enrollment in programs offered by the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism, focusing on experiential travel, marketing, and sustainability practices.
• Engagement in other department-approved initiatives that address market readiness for industry participants.

Eligible geographic areas

This program subsidizes market readiness activities under the condition that they benefit tourism in the province. No specific geographical areas or companies from specific regions are mentioned.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The program offers a synergy between provincial and federal funding opportunities, allowing for potentially increased financial support.
• In-kind contributions are specifically excluded from the required matching funds by applicants.
• The application for funding needs to be submitted prior to the occurrence of the event or engagement for which funding is being sought.
• Applicants are notified of approval status, indicating a potentially competitive or selective process.
• Expense claims must be submitted promptly (within 30 days) following travel to ensure the refund process is completed.
• The total subsidy from all government sources should not exceed 75% of the program costs.