The Grunthal based fair and rodeo have been working hard over the last few year to pull out a first class event. The committee's hard work paid off this weekend when the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association crowned them best overall rodeo for 2012. Ag Fair organizer Wayne Lemay says "what's really cool about it is, one, out of 37 rodeos across the province we got picked as number one. And the other cool thing is that it is actually chosen by the competitors".  He notes that what they hear over and over again is that the riders really appreciate the "enthusiastic crowds" and that the competitors love coming to the Ag Fair to ride.

Lemay says that this will "increase their creditability" and "attract more riders and competitors next year". He notes that its hard to compete with other rodeos when "the bulk of the action is west of Brandon". Another positive for the committee is that this status will be good for them when they apply for grants.

http://www.steinbachonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31686&Itemid=100413

With reports the NHL will pull the plug on the 2013 Winter Classic by Nov. 20 if the lockout isn’t resolved, Windsor, Ont., city officials and the city’s hospitality industry are growing increasingly nervous over the potential loss of more than $2 million worth of business.

The game is scheduled for Jan. 1 between Toronto and Detroit at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

“We (Windsor) were going to be very involved,” said Mayor Eddie Francis. “We already had discussions with the NHL about that.

“With the cancellation of games (until Nov. 1), a lot of people are on edge in the hospitality and tourism industry. They were counting on drawing a lot of people from outside the city a day or two before the event and likely the day after the event.

“It appears the writing is about to be on the wall.”

http://o.canada.com/2012/10/23/cancelling-the-winter-classic-coulds-cost-windsor-ont-more-than-2-million/

Complete: OTTAWA - The Bank of Canada is keeping its trendsetting policy interest rate at one per cent for a while longer, and likely a whole lot longer.

The central bank said the Canadian economy continues to expand, but that housing activity is starting to decline and exports remain weak. Still, the bank said growth will average 2.2 per cent this year, one-tenth more than it had projected in July.

Analysts had been expecting bank governor Mark Carney to soften his hawkish tone about future interest rate hikes and he obliged, saying modest withdrawal of stimulus will be required over time. That suggests the time may be a long way off.

The bank also notes it will consider the health of the household sector in setting monetary policy, something it hasn't done in previous interest rates announcements.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/no-actual-change-but-carney-expected-to-soften-language-on-future-rate-hikes-175357061.html

Complete: SAINT JOHN, N.B. - New Brunswick is launching a study to examine whether the Port of Saint John could become a home port for cruise ships.

Provincial Tourism Minister Trevor Holder says he is eager to see whether the city's cruise ship industry can be expanded.

The government says 74 ships will have docked in Saint John by the end of this year, bringing almost 190,000 visitors and an estimated $15 million in revenue.

Holder says the government will set aside $50,000 next year for the study.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/new-brunswick-to-study-whether-saint-john-cruise-ship-business-can-grow-175276771.html

People who visit Nunavut say they want more contact with Nunavummiut, according to the 2011 Visitor Exit Survey.

The results of the survey were released Monday in Iqaluit.

"The people, the wildlife and getting out on the land and actually experiencing the culture are always very high on the list," said Colleen Dupuis, Nunavut Tourism’s chief executive officer.

Some who filled out the survey said there needs to be improvements in overall costs, airport quality and access to the land.

The survey also found that almost three quarters of visitors to the territory are men between the ages of 40 and 65 who are mainly coming for business.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/story/2012/10/23/north-nunavut-tourism-exit-survey.html

SAO PAULO - The Brazilian jungle city of Manaus is considering changing the location of its Fan Fest venue because construction work may not be completed in time for the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA announced all the Fan Fest sites in April, but the government of Amazonas state said Monday that it is looking for an alternative location because it isn't sure if where the event would take place will be ready.

The news comes less than a week after FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke visited Brazil and expressed concerns about the slow pace of construction at some of the stadiums being built for next year's Confederations Cup.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/soccer/fan-fest-venue-at-world-cup-host-city-of-manaus-could-be-moved-because-of-delayed-construction-175276171.html

LONDON - The Office for National Statistics says nearly 1 million tourists attended a Premier League football match last year, helping to boost the British economy by spending $1.12 billion.

The 900,000 visitors also spent an average of $1,256. That represents an increase from 2010, when 750,000 foreign fans watched a game and spent $1,268.

The most popular teams to visit were Manchester United and Liverpool. London clubs Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham were the next most popular.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/soccer/premier-league-attracts-nearly-1-billion-tourists-helps-boost-british-economy-by-112b-175378581.html

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Even in an era of $500 hotel rooms and $18 cocktails, the $442 that a Texas family paid for a ride in a New York City pedicab has become notorious.

The outrageous fare made headlines in the city's tabloids over the summer, and since then, officials have been pushing for a simplified pricing structure so tourists don't get taken for a ride.

Even operators of the pedicabs — essentially adult tricycles with a padded seat that can carry three passengers — say publicity over the mother of all shakedown fares has given all of them a bad name.

"It was not good for us," Souleymane Toure said as he hawked riders for his pedicab in Central Park. "Because any time you stop somebody for the ride they say, 'Are you going to charge us $400?'"

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/new-york-city-putting-foot-down-after-442-pedicab-fare-175353631.html

(A complete article published originally in the WFP, Oct.  '69)

Only the automobile industry ranked higher than tourism as an earner of foreign currency in Canada, delegates to the 42^nd annual Manitoba Hotel Association convention were told here Monday. The association is holding a three-day convention at the Marlborough hotel. The speaker was Dalton Waller, president of the Canadian Tourist Association, who addressed the delegates at a Manitoba department of tourism and recreation luncheon and seminar — a warmup for the convention delegates. Describing tourism as an "invisible export," Mr. Waller said, "Canada's exports of automobiles and chassis totaled $1,357,000,000. That was our No. 1 export. No. 2 in export commodities was newsprint at $990 million. But we’re a little more than that. Tourist income in foreign currency was $992 million." Then, to stress the value of tourism in regards to the country's economy, Mr. Waller pointed to an additional $2 billion spent by Canadians travelling within Canada. Looking to the future, Mr. Waller referred to a recent research study conducted by the CTA, which revealed that nearly 20 per cent of the out-of-pocket expenditures of travellers was spent on lodging. "The demand for travel and recreation facilities will increase because of shorter work weeks, longer paid holidays, more disposable income, earlier retirement, and longer life expectancy," he predicted. Mr. Waller termed "total destination" as the key to future success. "That is," he said, "a package including transportation, accommodation, recreation and services."

Facilities of the future must be flexible in layout, oriented to self-service, provide ample guest activity or relaxation and offer the "human touch", he warned the delegates. Following Mr. Waller's address, Ed Bryant, director of the Alberta government travel bureau, told delegates cooperation between the hotel association, the tourist association and the convention bureau as well as the need to be able to change were necessary to meet' the challenge of the 70s as outlined in the targets for economic development report. Miss Gwen Leslie, representing the department of fisheries, told delegates it is time to capitalize on local products namely fresh-water delicacies such a whitefish, northern pike, pickerel, goldeye, bass, bullhead, catfish, tullibee lake trout and burbot.

She added 1970, Manitoba's centennial year is "a magnificent opportunity to boost our own product." She advised delegates freshwater delicacies are "the key to a distinctive Manitoba menu."