Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador

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HNL partners with the Provincial Government, Municipalities to announce first step towards a new provincial signage policy

Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador (HNL), in partnership with the provincial government and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the first phase of implementation for a new highway Tourism Oriented Directional Signage program for the province.

HNL Chair Bruce Sparkes says “HNL is pleased with how the development and implementation of the new policy will unfold.” The first step of the implementation towards a (TODS) program will be to enforce the current regulations. Signage owners will be given until June 8th to ensure all their signage is compliant with existing regulations after which time; all non-compliant signage will be removed.

“HNL is encouraging all tourism operators to ensure that their signage complies with existing signage regulations. As an active participant in the consultation phase last spring, we heard clearly that the tourism industry wanted to see enforcement of the current signage policy prior to implementing the new signage policy. They also want to be engaged in the development of the new signage policy. This is what the Provincial Government has delivered to the tourism industry today.”

HNL is anxious to begin the next phase of implementing a new policy, which is the development and planning of the TODS policy. HNL is a member of the Advisory Committee of government and industry partners that has been struck to come forward with recommendations as to how we can best transition to the TODS system in a timely fashion, and in a manner that is fair to those who have invested in legal, approved signage.

The 2009 provincial budget allotted over $400,000 for the initial stages of TODS. Mr. Sparkes says, “The TODS program is needed throughout the province to enhance and professionalize the brand of the tourism services we are providing as a tourism destination. The province has done a wonderful job in the provincial marketing campaigns to position Newfoundland and Labrador as a destination of choice based on our natural and cultural beauty. Now is the time to focus on these on-the-ground tourism services that help travellers experience our fabulous tourism products.”

For more information on TODS, and the answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the Highway Signage Review website at www.tcr.gov.nl.ca/tcr/signage/.

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Media contacts:
Lynn Taylor
Policy Manager
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
709-722-2224, Ext. 22, 691-0444
ltaylor@hnl.ca