Manitoba is a “happening place” and an NDP government would invest $20 million in luring tourists to come experience it, if re-elected in April, Greg Selinger said Saturday.

The party leader, at a campaign stop at Assiniboine Park Saturday morning, pledged to invest the money into projects such as a playground at Birds Hill Provincial Park, doubling the number of yurts at provincial parks, and expanding wifi access and serviced campsites at parks throughout Manitoba.

“We think we can ... expose Manitoba to more markets for tourism, particularly to the south of us, to the west of us, to the east of us. The regional tourism is quite strong,” Selinger said.

Selinger said the party has consulted with the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce and has taken its concept of a 96/4 commitment, which would result in 4% of tourism tax dollars invested back into the travel industry through Travel Manitoba.

Selinger said his opponents from the Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties have been silent on tourism investments.

While issues like health care and education dominate the campaign trail, Selinger nevertheless believes the topic of tourism needs to be remembered as a priority as well.

“It’s a priority for us because it’s part of our plan for growing the economy,” he said. “That is the No. 1 issue that we all have to address as governments and communities. We have to address economic growth to get the numbers back up. We have to show the value of the things we’ve invested in. ... When we do that we will make sure we have a more prosperous future and that will generate revenues to look after people in health care and education in the future.”

The PCs, in an email statement, said the NDP has failed in that area, too.

“The NDP have had 17 years to promote tourism in Manitoba and they haven’t done it,” the statement read. “Under the NDP Manitoba ranks second last in tourism spending of any province in Canada.”

The PCs pointed to their recent Yes North! announcement that aims to increase tourism in northern communities as an example of what they plan to do on the tourism front.

dlarkins@postmedia.com

Twitter: @LarkinsWSun