Churchill, the self-proclaimed polar bear capital, has a new distinction -- the highest gasoline prices in North America. A recent 34-cent hike pushed prices at the only gas station in town to $2.30 per litre this week -- and residents are fuming.

A handwritten notice pointed the finger at OmniTRAX Canada, the American-owned rail company that is the town's only fuel supplier. The president of the Canadian division of OmniTRAX noted the prices soared overnight, but Brad Chase said it's not because OmniTRAX hiked prices....          ...Churchill residents, meanwhile, say the price hike puts a damper on tourism during the profitable fall season for the polar bear migration. High prices scare off tourists, residents said.

"It's broken the $2-a-litre mark. The locals are saying enough is enough," declared Churchill resident Lance Duncan. He said residents don't blame the gas station owner. They blame OmniTRAX.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/churchill-copes-with-continents-priciest-gas-175548611.html

Complete: 2012  has been a milestone year for the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (CFDC) in Morden.

The Centre saw attendance exceed the 100,000 visitor threshold over the past 15 years since it  started keeping attendance records.

Since 1997 the CFDC has had 107,285 visitors from the province, all over Canada and the world.

On average about 18 percent of visitors came from the Pembina Valley region, 42 percent come from Winnipeg and the remaining 40 percent come from the rest of the province, the country and internationally.

Acting executive director Peter Cantelon  says the CFDC is one of the standout museums in Manitoba and an engine of tourism investment in Morden, the region and the province.

Visitors to the museum  have brought about  $6.5 million into the local economy.

http://www.cjob.com/news/winnipeg/story.aspx?ID=1796401

Complete: The final piece of a $3.3-million funding agreement for Keystone Centre repairs came together when the federal government recently signed off on its $1.1-million share, Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Merv Tweed said Tuesday.

Tweed said federal Transport Infrastructure and Communities Minister Denis Lebel has approved the request for funds after the provincial and Brandon municipal governments came up with their share.

“All of the paperwork is done and we have spoken directly to the Keystone board and they know now that they can move forward and there are certainly timelines that are tight so we hope they can move forward do everything they need to do in a short period of time, I think by March 31.”

Brandon Mayor Shari Decter Hirst said investments in Brandon’s main convention and events centre are important for the city as a whole.

“We’ve got a substantial backlog of capital improvements that need to be done,” Decter Hirst said. “We have significant repairs that need to be done with the roof and we have rooms that are closed there because of the leaky roof. That impacts revenue, which ultimately affects the city’s bottom line because we are responsible for 50 per cent of any deficits. We’re also the landlord and like any good landlord, we should be maintaining our property.”

Tweed said the fact that the other funding partners had pledged and approved their share helped get the deal done quickly. The short deadline to get the work done was also a factor. If the money is not spent by March 31, it will be lost and transferred back to the federal government, Tweed said.

“There’s commitment on all sides, and that’s really what you are trying to do with any project,” Tweed said.

“You need community support and it was there.  The intent here is to create some stimulus and create opportunity while improving the facility.”

Tweed said he supports funding repairs to the Keystone Centre because it is “a cultural centre for all of western Manitoba.”

“It’s not just an arena, but it’s a meeting place for everyone and we need to support those kinds of initiatives,” Tweed said.

It’s hard to say whether this is the beginning of a multi-phase funding program for the centre, parts of which are 40 years old. However, Tweed said a new federal infrastructure funding program is being developed, and governments have been asked to offer input on what has worked in the past and what aspects need work.

http://www.brandonsun.com/local/federal-funds-for-keystone-centre-in-place-175578111.html

OTTAWA -- Retail sales in Canada rose 0.3 per cent to $39.1 billion in August, Statistic Canada reported Tuesday, disappointing economists even though the numbers met consensus forecasts.

"Digging beneath the surface, the impact on GDP looks disappointing, as in real terms, sales volumes were down 0.3 per cent, with all of the rise in nominal sales therefore attributable to inflation, including a 2.9 per cent rise in gas station sales," Avery Shenfeld, CIBC World Markets chief economist, wrote in a commentary.

"Sales were otherwise mixed across sectors, with gains in general merchandise but a drop in clothing, health and autos," Shenfeld said.

Manitoba was one of four provinces to post a drop in retail sales from July to August, Statistics Canada said. Manitoba retailers rang up $1.385 billion worth of sales during the month. That was down 0.4 per cent, or $6 million, from July's total of $1.391 billion, but was still a 1.2 per cent improvement from August 2011's total of $1.369 billion. And year-to-date, Manitoba's sales were still running 2.5 per cent ahead of last year's pace after the first eight months -- $10.86 billion versus $10.60 billion.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/business-watch-175548451.html

It's official - the tourism sector pulled out of rough waters this summer, with smooth sailing expected for the foreseeable future.

Industry trackers at the Vancouver Island, provincial and national level have issued reports painting a shiny image for tourism operators in August, with Nanaimo among one of the industry leaders.

The industry has been in the doldrums for several years, driven in part by a faltering U.S. economy and a resulting drop in cross-border tourism, including fewer U.S. vessels in the Nanaimo harbour.

New numbers suggest the sector appears to be firing again on all cylinders, with hotels reporting higher occupancy rates and improved cash flow, while the number of visitors to Nanaimo is also up. It doesn't change a long-term goal to develop Nanaimo's potential as a tourism destination, but no one is complaining to see the industry finally heading in a positive direction.

http://www.canada.com/Numbers+tourism+industry+bouncing+back/7433735/story.html

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. - Google and its street-view cameras already have taken users to narrow cobblestone alleys in Spain using a tricycle, inside the Smithsonian with a push cart and to British Columbia's snow-covered slopes by snowmobile.

The search giant now has brought its all-seeing eyes — mounted for the first time on a backpack — down into the Grand Canyon, showcasing the attraction's most popular hiking trails on the South Rim and other walkways.

It's the latest evolution in mapping technology for the Mountain View, Calif., company, which has used a rosette of cameras to photograph thousands of cities and towns in dozens of countries for its Street View feature. With a click of the mouse, Internet users are transported virtually for a 360-degree view of locales they may have read about only in tourist books and seen in flat, 2-D images.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/google-captures-360-degree-view-of-popular-hiking-trails-at-grand-canyon-national-park-175566261.html

The 25 per cent tax increase on the Working Holiday Visa announced by the Federal Govenrment yesterday is a "major setback for the tourism industry, says the Victoria Tourism Industry Council.

Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) chief executive Dianne Smith says the increase from $280 to $350 would have a particular impact on younger tourist segments like backpackers who are invaluable market for the tourism industry.

"Wxpenditure by Working Holiday Visa (WHV) visitors while they’re in Australia is a great source of revenue for Australia’s economy and, beyond the direct expenditure WHV tourists bring, they also provide much needed labour and skills in the tourism and other industries," Smith said.

http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au/accommodation/new-backpacker-tax-a-tourism-threat-says-industry

(A complete article published originally in the WFP, Oct.  '75)

The Manitoba government soon will open a permanent tourist information office in Denver, Colorado, Tourism Minister Rene Toupin of Manitoba said Thursday. Speaking to the annual meeting of the Tourist and Convention Association of Manitoba, Mr. Toupin said there is great potential in the Denver area for attracting visitors to the province. Also, the government might consider closer working arrangements with Venture Tours and with Frontier Airlines, which has a direct flight from Winnipeg to Denver. The Denver office will be patterned after Manitoba House, a three-man tourist bureau which opened last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Mr. Toupin told about 120 delegates in the Hotel Fort Garry that tourism is growing rapidly in Manitoba. Visitors from the United States, arriving by air, increased 17 per cent in the last year and tourism from other provinces went up six per cent. Mr. Toupin urged members of the association, which received a government grant of $105,000 last year to promote all aspects of tourism and in particular the Winnipeg Convention Centre. Large conventions with up to 4,000 delegates have beneficial spill-over effects for the economy, but smaller gatherings are also important for the tourist industry, he said. Any region can develop its potential for tourism, Mr. Toupin said. Boissevain, Man., has its turtles, St. Pierre, Man., has frog races, and both areas are enjoying considerable success with these basic resources, he said. Improvement of facilities on Hecla Island will help attract U.S. tourists. Mr. Toupin said. Tourism is now Manitoba’s fifth largest industry, and Mr. Toupin said that with increased effort on the part of all association members it could soon be the biggest.