Alberta government officials head to South Korea to promote trade, tourism and investment
By Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Three government officials from Alberta are travelling to South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games to promote the province’s resources, including its beef.
Sarah Hoffman, deputy premier, and Naheed Nenshi, the mayor of Calgary, will visit Seoul, Gangneung City and PyeongChang County from Feb. 6 to 14, according to a government release on Feb. 6.
Hoffman and Nenshi will meet with Korean government officials to endorse Alberta and its businesses. The pair will also participate in a sustainable roundtable and visit the Olympic Park.
“As part of our government’s work to diversify our economy and open up new markets for Alberta goods, this mission will increase opportunities for tourism, trade and will strengthen our economic relationship,” Marion Nader, the Government of Alberta’s press secretary, said in an email to Farms.com on Friday.
Ricardo Miranda, culture and tourism minister, travels to South Korea from Feb. 20 to 27. He will meet with key tourism and airline stakeholders, according to the release.
Canada’s cattle industry will be a focal point of the trip as Miranda will also support a Travel Alberta and Canada Beef promotional event.
“South Korea is the province’s fifth largest destination country for agri-food exports,” Nader said.
“Efforts to promote Alberta beef aim to continue the growth of Alberta’s beef exports to South Korea, which totaled $36.1 million in 2016, representing an 874 per cent increase over the 2015 value of $3.7 million.”
The officials’ presence during the Olympic Games enables Alberta to “build stronger cultural ties with our sister province and promote Alberta throughout South Korea,” Miranda said in the release.
Hoffman, Miranda and Calgary city officials will participate in meetings as part of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Observer Programme, according to the release.
They will gain insight on venue concept, medical services, press operations, technology planning, security operations, as well as athlete and spectator experiences. The representatives will also have the chance to meet with Canada Olympic Committee staff, athletes, parents and spectators, the release said.
PyeongCheng is in Alberta’s longest-standing sister province, Gangwon. The partnership originated in 1974.
The approximate cost of the mission is $45,413.
Updated February 12, 2018
Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olympic_rings_without_rims.svg