Travelers Still Visiting Canada in Wake of SARS

April 14, 2003

Travelers Still Visiting Canada in Wake of SARS
The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) and the Toronto Convention & Visitors Association issued advisories last week welcoming travelers to the area despite the fear of SARS. The advisories stated, "Canada and Ontario continue to be safe destinations. There is no evidence to date that the illness spreads through casual contact, or through the air. The risk to travelers of contracting this illness are minimal."

According to the CTC, travelers visiting Canada do not need to take any extraordinary health precautions and visitors should continue to follow normal hygiene procedures. Travelers can be reassured that all Canadian cases of SARS have only occurred in people who have either been to Asia, come in contact with cases of the illness in the household, or reached contact with SARS in a health-care setting.

Dr. James Young, Ontario’s Commissioner of Public Security, reminded the traveling community that Canada continues to be a popular destination when he stated, "tourists and businesses should continue to come to Ontario. It is safe."

NTA member Kevin Hicks, president of The KMH Group Inc, welcomed a group with Performance Tours to Toronto last week despite the illness outbreak. "They had a wonderful time, all fears were alleviated when they arrived and saw the normal state of the city and our people," said Hicks.

NTA members are encouraged to consult the Crisis Planning Information page at NTA Online and the Health Canada Web site for updates on SARS.