What We Heard

Executive Summary: Regional Roundtable Insights

Over the past year, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) travelled across every region—Western, Northern, Prairies, Eastern, and Atlantic—convening tourism leaders and operators to discuss shared challenges and future opportunities. Thanks to generous support from Destination Canada, The Globe and Mail, Air Canada, Destinations International, Parks Canada, and Tourism HR Canada, these open roundtables surfaced diverse, local insights that shaped TIAC’s advocacy and industry priorities for the year.

The 2025 Roundtables surfaced common priorities and region-specific solutions to build a resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and competitive tourism sector. Participants from industry, government, Indigenous organizations, and destination marketing agencies identified urgent labour issues, modernization gaps in infrastructure, the need for strong partnerships, Indigenous engagement, and strategic sustainability as national imperatives.

These summary reports distil the most important findings from each region, ensuring our efforts remain grounded in the real experiences and needs of Canada’s tourism sector.

 

Pan-Canadian Themes

Labour and Workforce: Chronic staff shortages, high turnover, and negative perceptions deter long-term tourism careers. Shifting public opinion to view tourism as a stable, rewarding sector is essential. Continuous training, career pathways, year-round employment models, and inclusive hiring—for youth, newcomers, people with disabilities, and Indigenous people—are universal needs. Shared employment and mentorship were emphasized.

Infrastructure and Investment: From digital connectivity in the Prairies to air/marine/road upgrades in Atlantic and Western regions, all roundtables flagged the need for modernized, robust infrastructure to boost capacity and meet rising visitor demand. Public-private partnerships, investment incentives, and accessible funding will be vital.

Indigenous Engagement and Inclusion: Fostering Indigenous-led tourism is a national priority, supporting business growth, cultural preservation, and economic reconciliation. Each region stressed the importance of authentic offerings, decision-making roles, and targeted support for Indigenous tourism entrepreneurs.

Sustainability and Regenerative Tourism: Environmental stewardship requires local, community-driven initiatives, Indigenous knowledge integration, and long-term investment. Cost, resource gaps, and alignment of short-term economic and long-term environmental goals remain hurdles.

Strategic Collaboration and Marketing: Breaking down organizational silos, coordinating training, joint marketing (including regional “passports”), and improving data sharing were universal priorities for regional competitiveness.

 

Reports (.pdf format)

Prairies Regional Roundtable June 3, 2025 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Access the Report	Atlantic Regional Roundtable May 13, 2025 | St John’s, Newfoundland Access the Report
Eastern Regional Roundtable April 22, 2025 | Niagara Falls, Ontario Access the Report	Northern Territorial Roundtable April 10, 2025 | Virtual Access the Report
Western Regional Roundtable March 28, 2025 | Richmond, British Columbia Access the Report	New Brunswick Roundtable Saint John, New Brunswick Access the Report