The federal government is funnelling some money towards boosting Canada’s tourism industry in the midst of the COVID crisis.

Economic Development Minister Melanie Joly announced $30 million dollars, originally earmarked to attract foreign visitors will instead be used to help provinces and territories to encourage Canadians to tour their own country. This as many international borders remain closed, as does Canada’s, due to COVID-19.

It’s a move Banff-Airdrie MP Blake Richards says he’s glad to finally see happen as travel bans and border restrictions have all but eliminated tourism in the past couple of months.

“It’s always good to see support for the tourism industry, it’s a pretty significant industry in our country, over $100 billion a year in economic activity including 1.8 million jobs including thousands of them right here in our constituency,” said Richards.

The government is also setting aside around $40 million so tourism agencies in western Canada and Ontario can make changes and adapt to what will likely be a very different summer season for many tourism-based businesses.

Destination Canada estimates the impact of COVID-19 will be far-reaching for the tourism industry. They suggest profits will decrease by a third and will likely leave 263,000 Canadians without jobs.

Richards said while the financial support is a welcome relief, it is only temporary and many businesses are looking to their provincial and federal leaders for guidelines on when to expect a reopening and what they should be doing to prepare.

“In order for them to be able to do that, they have to have some kind of idea of what the criteria are for borders to re-open; whether that be provincial borders or international borders because they have to ramp up marketing campaigns and get products ready,” Richards explained.

“The industry is definitely feeling left in the dark right now on what those criteria will be. That’s what they need to be able to succeed and move forward in the future.”