About the Canadian Tourism Industry
Tourism means business in Canada.
Before the Covid-19 Pandemic, Canada's Tourism Industry was worth $105 billion in total economic activity and 1.8 million jobs. Even amid the current crises, tourism is one of the few truly national industries that generate business in every region, province, territory, town, and community.
The travel and tourism sector provides a vital stimulus to Canada’s commercial growth through the visitor economy. This is especially true because of the amount of economic activity which the sector draws into the country.
Pre-Covid. Global tourism was booming. International travel between countries represents the fourth largest export sector in the global economy, with over 1.4 billion international travellers spending USD 1.7 trillion outside their borders in 2019.
Then the pandemic hit, and travel and tourism was the industry first, the hardest and it will be the last sector to fully recover.
Supporting Tourism Recovery from COVID-19
It is no secret that despite amazing progress and growth in the tourism sector over the last number of years, COVID-19 has had and will continue to have a negative impact on future growth. Since the shutdown of Canada’s borders to all non-essential travel since March 2020, we have seen month-over-month losses of 98% of visitors. This is compounded by restrictions on domestic activities that have forced many tourism and hospitality businesses to face imminent closure.
Tourism is one of the few sectors that has a presence in every local economy in Canada. Before COVID-19, the sector employed 1 in 11 Canadians and contributed $105 Billion to the economy. Canada cannot afford to lose its tourism industry. There is much to be done, but it requires the support of the government.
As the National Voice for the travel economy, the Tourism Industry Association (TIAC) has been the industry's champion, laser-focused on its survival and recovery post-Covid. TIAC has a recovery plan to lead the industry forward and regain its position both as a national economic contributor and global destination.
We invite you to read about these proposals and the many advocacy successes, initiatives, and accomplishments.
We also encourage you to visit Tourism Counts to keep abreast of current TIAC initiatives and efforts on behalf of the industry.