Last week, the International Peace Garden held their first Tourism Summit, bringing together community leaders from both sides of the border to address the prospect of greater collaboration between neighboring communities.

"This was the first time that I had the opportunity to work with North Dakota Tourism, so finding out a little more about their tourism and they learning more about us was very positive, and I think it will lead to other opportunities," shares President and CEO of Travel Manitoba, Colin Ferguson.

Tourism and travel data was shared by Tourism North Dakota; the trends of tourism coming out of Covid.  It was very positive for everyone to see tourism numbers are coming back, and fairly strong.  The message was clear that if we all work together in the tourism sector, we can all benefit.

Ferguson noted the collaboration in the room between communities in close proximity to the Peace Garden as well as to each other was very strong and supportive.

"Obviously we've got an anchor in the International Peace Garden which supports two countries but what does that look like going forward, and what impact does that have on communities in the area," he notes.

"I congratulate the group at the International Peace Garden for wanting to put this together and bringing everybody here," shares Ferguson.  "It was quite a group and I think there was a lot of good exchange and I think there was a lot of better understanding that anybody can be in the tourism business, and anybody can do this."

Please listen below to more with Travel Manitoba President and CEO, Colin Ferguson.