Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 7, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press tuesday november 7, 2006 world a13 tourism Dull us that show travellers see White North palestinians seeking ceasefire in Gaza strip by Steven Edwards u United nations ? More people around the world Are visiting other countries ? but pass ing on Canada according to a United nations study released monday. While the number of tourists travelling abroad is up 4.5 per cent Over the last year worldwide Canada saw a 4.1 per cent decline. Officials say we re seen As unexciting increasingly expensive and a hassle to enter when arriving at the . Border. John Kester chief of the to Market intelligence department that produces the annual study says his teams of statistics gatherers Are still telling him there remains an International perception that Canada is Dull. This is particularly Detri mental Given More and More International travellers Are today Young people in search of risk and adventure. We Are finding that Young people Are driving the world tourism Market but the image Canada has might not Appeal to them very much said Kester in an interview from to a Headquarters in Madrid Spain. Its seen As quiet Safe. I Don to think Many people think of Canada As a very exciting officials of the Canadian tourism Industry have been aware for some time Canada has an image problem and the Canadian tourism com Mission is spending $75-Mil?Lion a year to improve it through its Brand Canada Campaign. It involves Adver Tising and encouraging Over seas Media to report on the Joys of visiting the great White North. We find that people feel United nations ? the palestinian observer to the United nations on monday called for a Mutual ceasefire to end an israeli military offensive in the Gaza strip that has killed More than 50 palestinians in the last six Days. Riyad Mansour said the palestinians were also willing to accept in observers to Monitor the ceasefire along the Gaza Israel Border. He said in ambassadors from Arab states held an emergency meeting monday to discuss the israeli Offen Sive along the Northern Gaza Border which Israel says is aimed at halting palestinian rocket fire on israeli communities near the coastal strip. He asked for an open meet ing of the in Security coun cil and said the ambassadors would prepare a draft Resolution that would condemn the israeli action and Call for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of israeli troops from the coastal strip. Mansour said palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas also sent a letter to the coun cil president saying the Esca lation of violence in the past six Days had made it difficult for the palestinians to final ize plans to form a National Unity government and make it possible to Exchange prisoners with Israel. Very positively towards Canada As a country but they Don to necessarily know How they would translate that into a vacation experience said Michele Mckenzie to president and ceo. We re trying to put new images in Peoples minds of the types of experiences they can have in Canada ? from dining to shopping to out doors the full among provinces pushing their own initiatives Alberta last Spring dispatched a posse of rope tricking cowboys to the streets of new York to try to capitalize on the Success of the movie Brok Eback Moun Tain which was filmed in the province. We re expanding our pub Lic relations and awareness efforts because that still seems to be the biggest Issue said Don Boyton chief spokesman for travel Alberta. Overall the americas saw a 2.5 per cent increase in tourism pulled Down As the report put it by Canada and Hurricane hit Mexico. The United states saw a four per cent increase. One Consolation was that the 18.6 million tourists who did visit Canada last year spent More Money than the larger earlier crowd Deposit ing a record $18.4 billion us. That a in part explained by promotional efforts focused on attracting so called High yield tourists ready to spend big on hotels restaurants and fun rather than Young Gra Nola munching backpackers. In the americas Canadas percentage decline is exceeded Only by Montserrat where the so Friere Hill Volcano that erupted with devastating effect in 1995 is still rum bling Aruba scene of the much publicized Natalee hol Loway murder and Uruguay. ? can West news service we Are the ones who Are suffering immensely Man sour told a news conference. In spite of that we Are the ones who Are willing to Hon our and respect a Mutual Israel a Deputy in Ambas Sador Daniel Carmon rejected Mansour a statement saying the palestinian government must act instead to halt rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel. There would be no need for israeli hostilities if there was not terrorism he said in a Telephone interview. It came As a reaction in self defence to hundreds and hundreds of rocket attacks from the palestinian territories toward Israel launched its Offen Sive in the Gaza strip in june after Hamas linked Palestin Ian militants captured an israeli Soldier 19-year-old Cpl. Gilad Shalit. The United states blocked an Arab backed in Resolution several weeks later that would have demanded Israel halt the offensive the first in Security Council veto in nearly two years. Israel has intensified its military operation in recent Days brushing off the con Cerns of the Vatican and european Union Over the mounting bloodshed. ? associated press ;