Tourism in Canada must focus on 4 strategies: Tourism Industry of Canada

Ottawa – The Tourism Industry Association of Canada held a Tourism Congress in Ottawa that emphasized four strategies to focus on in shoring up the tourism industry: attracting and retaining a sustainable workforce, improving access for visitors, developing and promoting tourism assets, and building an inclusive tourism industry

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) says its own ambitious goals of a full recovery will take considerable work to achieve. Speaking Nov. 22 at the organization’s annual Tourism Congress, a two-day event taking place this year at The Westin Ottawa, TIAC’s vice-president of policy and government affairs, Marc Seguin, emphasized to an audience of over 400 delegates that the sector was still a very long way from a full recovery.

In its recent submission to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, Randy Boissonnault, TIAC set sector goals to be achieved by 2030; which include total tourism spending in Canada at $134 billion, a total tourism labour workforce of 2.5 million workers, and 30 million total annual international overnight visitors, among other key goals.

“We know that there are four key areas where a host of policy actions are needed,” he said, during his Leadership Report that kicked off the Congress’ first day.

Seguin emphasized that the federal government should focus redevelopment of the strategy to include policy changes in four key areas:

1. Attracting and retaining a sustainable tourism workforce
2. Improving access for visitors to and within Canada
3. Developing and promoting tourism assets
4. Building a regenerative and inclusive tourism industry

Congress took place Nov. 22-23 with educational sessions from industry leaders, as well as a “fireside chat” between Seguin and Minister Boissonnault. Those unable to attend can access recordings for a fee as of Dec. 1, 2022.