Economic recovery across the province’s tourism industry continues to progress but at a slow and uneven pace. As summer winds down, tourism businesses face the added challenge of sustaining visitation during the shoulder season—not to mention the challenges of inflation, high gas prices, debt to pay down, and the labour crisis. At this critical time in our economic recovery, bringing together industry stakeholders and government to discuss the state of tourism and to chart a path forward is crucial.
Last week, we did just that. We held the first of two roundtable consultations in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). Focused on the labour crisis and with the Hon. Monte McNaughton (Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development) in attendance, the roundtable brought together DMOs, RTOs, sector associations, tourism operators, industry experts, chambers of commerce, and boards of trade across the province.
This roundtable was an important opportunity to have the Minister’s ear on what’s driving the labour crisis in the tourism industry and how industry can work with government to ensure that tourism has the workforce it needs to recover and thrive in Ontario. A big thank you to our participants for bringing a high calibre of knowledge, insights, and expertise to the table; to the OCC and our sponsors for their partnership; and to the TIAO team for an exceptionally well-executed event. We were delighted that the roundtable was well-received by Minister McNaughton and his team.
We’re currently in the midst of planning the second roundtable with the Hon. Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport in attendance. This roundtable will explore opportunities for growth, workforce development, the impacts of red tape, and the future of tourism in Ontario.
The insights gathered during these roundtable consultations will inform a joint report examining the state of Ontario’s tourism industry after two unprecedented years navigating a global pandemic. A ‘ground-level’ look at the industry’s recovery and its path forward, this report will include timely recommendations to the provincial and federal governments. Stay tuned for this report.
As always, thank you for your continued support. And of course, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to send me an email at jng@tiaontario.ca
Jessica Ng
Director, Policy & Government Affairs