SRDC NEWS
News STORY
�It�s a real honour to be included on the list and to see the industry recognized in such a big way by the readers of Travel and Leisure Magazine,� says Minister of Tourism and Culture Robert Henderson. �Government and industry have worked very hard for decades to make Prince Edward Island a world-class destination for tourists. To see Prince Edward Island included on the same list as Maui, Santorini and the Galapagos Islands in an American publication is a testament to the excellent product we�ve built over the years, and it speaks volumes about all our hard work.�
In 2012, readers of Travel and Leisure were invited to participate in a questionnaire designed to score individual destinations on things like natural attractions, food, people, activities and overall value. This isn�t the first time Prince Edward Island was recognized by the magazine; it also ranked the Island number one among North American islands in 2003. �This is a great honour for PEI, especially when our coastal nature is such a big part of our tourism strategy,� said John-Anthony Langdale, Chair of the Tourism Advisory Council and owner of Rustico Resort.
�As Islanders and in the tourism industry, we are proud of our great beaches, food, activities, people and value in our offering, but the fact that Travel and Leisure readers scored these traits so highly really reinforces our marketing efforts.� Tourism is a vital industry in Prince Edward Island that provides over 7,000 full-time equivalent jobs for Islanders. It accounts for approximately $380 million in economic activity each year and seven percent of GDP, the highest percentage of any Canadian province.