Visit Britain downsizing in Canada

The exodus and/or downsizing in Canada of European tourism bureaus continues at a record pace.

I just learned that Visit Britain has decided to drop a couple of employees at its Toronto office - leaving two people to defend British Tourist interests here in Canada. The downsizing from four to two will be complete by summer's end and is all part of the British government's budget cutbacks.

I've also learned that Visit Britain's offices in New York will soon close and tourism staff will be moved to Britain's consulate offices in the Big Apple.

In the past few years, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and the Czech Republic have all abandoned Canada - citing cost cutbacks as the reason - and Germany's once powerful tourist office in Toronto has been reduced to one desk in a local PR company. How sad!

While others pull out, Switzerland is staying in Canada. Ironically, the Swiss have just moved into offices in the German consulate on University Ave., which were once occupied by the German National Tourism Board. The Germans hired a Toronto PR firm last year to handle their tourism interets in Canada.

We hear that cash-strapped Greece and Ireland may be the next to leave town.

European Union countries are investing all their euros in emerging tourism markets like China and India and have none left for long-time supporters like Canada.

The EU tourism folks did not even renew the contract of their fine long-time Canadian representative John Stephenson this year.

Maybe it's time Canadian travellers give up on Europe since they've given up on us!