Canada is investing over 30 million Canadian dollars (21.8 million US dollars) to enable its provinces and territories to promote holidays in their “own back yard” as the country's external borders are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reported.

Canada, which recorded over 7,000 COVID-19 deaths, has closed its borders for non-emergency trips, and it is unclear when they will open again.

The borders of many provinces are closed as well.

Quebec, which shares borders with the US states, accounts for over 60% of the COVID-19 death toll in Canada. Ontario, the country's most populated province, has also been hit hard.

Restrictions hit the tourism industry. About 42% of service and catering businesses reported a drop in revenue of over 50%, as a study in April noted.

By the end of 2018, every 11th job in Canada was directly related to tourism, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada; but in April this year, the country's unemployment rate jumped by over 28%.