Recognizing Tourism Week 2022

This week is Tourism Week! This is our opportunity to celebrate this incredible industry and the people who choose to dedicate their careers to tourism. For over two years, this sector has faced immense challenges and has continued to demonstrate its strength.

Throughout the pandemic, the tourism industry’s economic, social and cultural importance in Canada has become evident:

• Tourism is a catalyst for our overall Canadian economy through transportation, accommodation, conferences and other sub-sectors, and will be a central enabler of the new economy as we transition to a knowledge- and service-based economy.
• Tourism supports the wealth and wellbeing of communities, helping to sustain a host of amenities that make life richer for local residents. Our goal is to build a regenerative tourism sector that will enhance local life in the destination as well as enrich the guest experience.
• Tourism offers exciting career options for a vast range of talents and temperaments and sustains about one in ten jobs across Canada in virtually every part of the country.
• Tourism helps travellers get to know our land and our people. Sharing authentic Canadian experiences with others strengthens our sense of shared identity and our appreciation for diversity.

As detailed above, tourism’s impact can be felt across the country in many ways, and the work that the people in our industry are doing does not go unnoticed. As we emerge from the pandemic, we are committed to working alongside our partners to drive a robust and rapid recovery for our sector, while also laying the foundations for greater resilience so that together, as an industry, we can take on the realities of a new world.

As we wrap up Tourism Week 2022, I want to thank the members of our industry—from helicopter pilots to international sales managers, from pastry chefs to wilderness guides, and everyone in-between – for your continued dedication to making Canada a coveted destination among Canadian and foreign travellers as well as for your contribution to improving the quality of life of residents. With people like you as the heartbeat of our industry, I am optimistic about the future of our sector and look forward to taking this new path forward with all of you.

*Marsha Walden
President & CEO, Destination Canada