Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor

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Overview

The Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor is one of three corridors supported through Destination Canada’s Tourism Corridor Strategy Program. Learn more about the program through the following links:

Three of Canada’s Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador—are home to more than a dozen United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sites, which contribute to pride of place and form a network of unique landscapes, rich cultural history, and diverse offerings.

UNESCO’s prestigious global brand attracts visitors from around the world who are eager to experience Atlantic Canada’s heritage sites, characterized by critical ecosystems, pristine landscapes, and areas of cultural significance. Due to their popularity, some sites have reached or exceeded their seasonal carrying capacity while others remain under visited and overlooked.

Through the development of the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor, opportunities were identified to:

Develop shoulder- and off-season offers.
Redistribute and disperse summer travellers.
Attract high-value guests that grow local economies while supporting community values and protecting ecological integrity.

The Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor brought together the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Fundy Biosphere Region, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Parks Canada to:

Convene diverse stakeholders.
Foster innovation.
Identify a common vision for the future, where humans and the environment connect and thrive.

The strategy for the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor is based on regenerative tourism principles, focused on generating wealth and wellbeing for the region. Several objectives guided the strategy development:

Explore opportunities for collaboration across jurisdictions that exist for planning, prioritizing, and investment.
Build a consistent visitor experience supported by local and rural communities.
Support multi-day trip planning that features UNESCO sites and enables travel throughout Atlantic Canada.
Foster innovation in regenerative, experiential, authentic approaches to tourism that aligns with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UNESCO priorities.

Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor

The following 13 sites form the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor:

Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve
Cliffs of Fundy UNESCO Global Geopark
Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark
Fundy Biosphere Region
Gros Morne National Park
Joggins Fossil Cliffs World Heritage Site
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
Landscape of Grand Pré World Heritage Site
Mistaken Point World Heritage Site
Old Town Lunenburg World Heritage Site
Red Bay Basque Whaling Station World Heritage Site
Southwest Nova Biosphere Region
Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark

Timeline

The Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor project, which started in June 2023 and was completed in December 2023, is now at its implementation stage. A dedicated corridor team is leading the implementation with Destination Canada’s support.

The development of the corridor project with Destination Canada, involves involved three co-created deliverables:

Corridor Strategy: Define vision, align resources, engage stakeholders.
Implementation Plan: Plan execution, identify timeline/priorities, inform or establish governance.
Investment Plan: Identify investment needed, suggest opportunities, identify potential funding sources.

The Corridor Strategy development process included several critical stages of engagement with corridor partners, stakeholders, and community members. These stakeholders were invited to review the opportunities and participate by sharing their knowledge, input, and ideas.

Activities to ensure outreach and engagement included:

UNESCO site briefings and assessments.
Online survey for corridor partners, stakeholders, and community members, etc.
Workshops for corridor partners, UNESCO sites, and broader stakeholders to formulate, validate, and refine the strategy.

Governance for implementing the strategy was outlined in the Implementation Plan, while the Investment Plan outlined how the development of the corridor will be financially supported.

Team

In partnership with Destination Canada, the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor project was co-led by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Fundy Biosphere Region & Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark.

With the participation of the project leads, Destination Canada selected and engaged experts from tourism consultancy firm, Vardo Creative, to guide the project and co-create the key deliverables in collaboration with the corridor partners and stakeholders. Vardo’s team includes expertise in strategic corridor development, Indigenous engagement, regenerative tourism, international markets, and financial analysis.

Additional partners collaborating on the project included Parks Canada, the governments of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, and the UNESCO sites showcased through the Corridor.

If you have any questions about the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor, please reach out to Erica, Vanessa, or Jennifer for further details.

Erica D'Souza
Senior Director, Destination Development
Destination Canada
dsouza.erica@destinationcanada.com

Zoe Compton
Program Manager, Natural Sciences
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
Zoe.Compton@ccunesco.ca

Jennifer Dingman
Executive Director
Fundy Biosphere Region & Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark
executive.director@fundy-biosphere.ca

Additional Information

What is a corridor?

A corridor connects a concentration of similar businesses or institutions together, creating synergies that drive regional economies by leveraging each other’s resources and customers. Collectively, they create greater overall demand for the area and their experiences and give even more reasons for visitors to stay longer and travel through the area.

Why is Destination Canada focusing on corridors?

Destination Canada can play role in corridor development by facilitating connections and leveraging federal and national partners to encourage engagement and build a more robust network of resources. The cluster and corridor-based approach is informed by theoretical approaches and best-practices from around the globe. For more information, please see the following links:

Who is funding the strategy development for each corridor?

Destination Canada is funding the development of a strategy, implementation plan, and investment plan for each corridor in the program.

What is UNESCO?

Since 1972, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has led the way in protecting heritage sites across the globe through its World Heritage Convention. Through the Convention, UNESCO and its global network, including the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, work to conserve nature and preserve cultural sites. To learn more about the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, visit https://whc.unesco.org/en/35/.

Who is leading the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor project?

Additional partners collaborating on the project include Parks Canada, the governments of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland & Labrador, and the remaining UNESCO sites showcased through the Corridor.

How are Indigenous people engaged in this project?

Indigenous organizations engaged in the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor project include: Newfoundland and Labrador Indigenous Tourism Association; Indigenous Tourism Association of New Brunswick; Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network; Mi’kmaq Nation; and Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.

Indigenous communities, businesses, and entrepreneurs were also involved through the engagement activities connected to each of the 13 UNESCO sites.

When will the strategy development process be completed?

The Tourism Corridor Strategy Program was completed in December 2023. Engagement opportunities related to the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor took place from July to November 2023, with the three key deliverables finalized and publicly shared in May 2024.

Who developed the strategies and plans for each corridor, in 2023?

Destination Canada contracted the services of industry experts who co-created strategies and plans with the selected corridors and their stakeholders. Vardo Creative, a tourism consultancy based in Victoria, BC, led the provision of services for the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor.

Who is responsible for implementing the strategy?

The Implementation Plan identified governance for the implementation of the strategy. Upon completion of the program, Destination Canada cannot fund infrastructure. Destination Canada is now exploring ways to advance and support the work with the corridor team.

Are aspiring UNESCO sites included in the corridor?

The initial project and scope of work included existing UNESCO sites in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. The strategy considered possible future connections to aspiring UNESCO sites within the corridor and in other provinces and territories.

Is Prince Edward Island included in this project?

Since there are no UNESCO sites in Prince Edward Island, provincial and local representatives have not been involved as project leads or corridor partners. The strategy considered possible future connections to Prince Edward Island.

Can UNESCO sites outside of Atlantic Canada be included?

The current project and scope of work includes UNESCO sites in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The strategy considered possible future connections to sites in other provinces and territories.

Who was included in the engagement process for the development of the corridor strategy?

Vardo Creative had an extensive engagement strategy that included residents, business operators, government, suppliers and consumers.

What stage is the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor at?

The Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor project is now at its implementation stage. Corridor partners are leading the implementation with Destination Canada’ support.

How can I get involved or work in collaboration with the Atlantic Canada UNESCO Tourism Corridor?

To find out more about the implementation of the corridor and whether your project, experience or skills align with it, please contact the dedicated corridor team. Their details are shared under the Team section.