Mr. Speaker, in 1999, tourism generated $54 billion in Canada. This is a 7.9% increase over the previous year.
Allow me to point out the determination and enthusiasm of residents and stakeholders in the Lac-Mégantic region to successfully help promote Quebec's tourism industry.
In the past year, eight new businesses in the hospitality industry opened their doors. This resulted in three new country inns in our region. Moreover, four other new attractions, including the AstroLab, the wildlife observation park and the Maison du Granit, all have new features this summer to showcase the tourist attractions of this beautiful region.
These initiatives truly reflect the vitality of the tourism industry in the Lac-Mégantic region. The region has been in the limelight since the beginning of the year, including in Le Devoir , Le Soleil , on the Évasion channel and in the newspaper La Tribune .
Again, I want to tell all these women and men who devote time and energy to their community, to ensure that a stay in that beautiful region is a memorable experience, that I admire them.