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Our Recommendations

Ontario’s tourism sector stands at a pivotal moment. As the most visited province in Canada, its diverse attractions, cultural heritage, and natural wonders position it as a global tourism destination. However, slow economic growth, workforce shortages, and infrastructure gaps represent critical vulnerabilities and underscore the need for a resilient, forward-thinking strategy. 

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is taking the lead in formulating a comprehensive tourism strategy. Building on the last provincial tourism strategy released in 2016, this new plan will address unprecedented challenges while leveraging opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth. 

TIAO is building Ontario's new tourism strategy and anchoring recommendations through six strategic objectives:

Attract More Visitors and Spending.

Diversify market attraction by prioritizing international markets while boosting strong domestic engagement. Marketing Ontario as a four-season destination, bundling regional experiences, and targeting off-peak travel will diversify visitor profiles and increase spending.

Invest in Transportation Infrastructure.

Enhance access to Ontario markets through investments in transit, last-mile connectivity, and sustainable transportation solutions like EV infrastructure and green transit networks, as well as expand air access.

Foster Product Development and Investment.

Expand tourism capacity by supporting new attractions, accommodations, and events, particularly in underutilized regions. Partnering with Indigenous communities to develop authentic, community-led experiences will strengthen Ontario’s unique offerings.

Strengthen Workforce Resilience.

Address critical workforce barriers, including housing affordability, seasonal employment volatility, and skills development.

Prioritize Sustainability.

Align tourism practices with Ontario’s climate goals by promoting eco-friendly initiatives, low-impact tourism, and visitor education on environmental stewardship.

Foster Collaboration.

Create a unified approach to tourism sector growth and policy development by strengthening coordination between operators, support organizations, and government agencies.

TIAO’s key recommendations to prospective candidates are;

ECONOMIC
GROWTH

Increase Provincial Marketing Investment
Boost Destination Ontario’s annual budget by $15 million to keep up pace with other provinces, enabling competitive domestic and international visitor attraction.

Support Competitive Sport and Business Event Bids
Create an annual $20 million fund to support national and/or international sport and business event bids and hosting to help Ontario destinations driving net-new visitation, spending, and tax revenue.

Strengthen Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) Regulation
Close loopholes and maximize MAT implementations to expand local tourism and municipal funding.

Invest in Indigenous Tourism
Establish equitable, ongoing annual provincial funding for Indigenous tourism businesses, advancing Truth and Reconciliation through Indigenous economic development.

Increase Experience Ontario Fund by $10M, growing the annual budget to $30M.

 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Respond to Reduced International Student Levels
Partner with TIAO to advocate federally for:

  1. Expanding Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility to include tourism and hospitality programs.
  2. Adjusting classification of tourism jobs in the National Occupational Classification system to accurately represent high-demand occupations.
  3. Streamlining pathways to permanent residency for Ontario-trained tourism talent.

Develop a Domestic Workforce Plan
Collaborate with the tourism sector and employment service agencies to connect underemployed Ontarians with meaningful tourism job opportunities.

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

Restore Air Service Levels
Collaborate with tourism stakeholders and federal partners to reverse declining air service to regional and northern destinations.

Enhance Ground Transportation Service
Improve accessibility, connectivity, and sustainability by:

  1. Including private motorcoach operators in transit funding eligibility.
  2. Funding highway enhancements along the TransCanada Highway (11/17).
  3. Expanding regional and local public transportation.
  4. Maintaining 2024 funding levels for the EV ChargeOn Program and considering enhancements.
  5. Expanding GO train service with all-day, two-way trips between Niagara Falls and Toronto.

Click here read more on TIAO’s specific recommendations as put forward in our pre budget submission in advance of the 2025 budget.

Media Contact

For all media inquiries, please contact:

Madison Simmons

Vice President, Public Affairs Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

[email protected]