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TOURISM

 

COUNTS


 

CANADA CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

With tourism responsible for 1 in every 11 jobs in Canada, and over 2% of its GDP, we need to ensure that the tourism and travel sector is here to stay long after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. 

#TourismCounts 

 

Before COVID-19, tourism was a growing industry and a leading economic driver in Canada.

$105 billion

of which $22.1 billion is export revenue

21.1 million

visitors in 2019

1.8 million jobs

largest employer of

Canadian youth

225,000

businesses across

Canada

But the pandemic has changed Canada’s tourism landscape, and many businesses are being threatened. Tourism counts, and Canada cannot afford to lose its tourism sector.

  • With so much of Canada’s economy relying on tourism and travel, we cannot afford to lose the tourism and travel sector. That is why we need a strong tourism recovery package to ensure the viability of our sector. 

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  • Tourism was one of the fastest-growing industries in the world – but now it will be one of the last to recover. 

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  • Significant investments had been made in tourism over the last number of years, including the Federal Tourism Growth Strategy and inclusion of tourism as the 7th Economic Strategy Table. It’s important that we ensure there is a strong tourism industry post-pandemic, to build on these critical investments.
     

  • Tourism was first hit from the pandemic and will be the last to recover. With so much of Canada’s economy relying on the visitor economy (nearly 1 in 10 jobs, $105 billion in annual economic activity, 2% of GDP, and Canada’s 5th largest sector), Canada cannot afford to lose the tourism industry.

Because of safety and physical distancing measures, ongoing restrictions on travel and limitation on business gatherings, tourism is not able to recover the same way other sectors. This is why we need dedicated support for the sector.

TIAC continues to advocate for sector specific government support to ensure the visitor economy in Canada can recover post pandemic. TIAC’s top 5 priorities are:
 

  1. Supporting employees through the extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program at the full 75% subsidy rate until Summer 2021 for those hardest hit.
     

  2. Making the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) work for the tourism sector through specific program changes that allow the program to be more accessible and quicker to access.
     

  3. Stimulating the tourism economy through the introduction of a dedicated Tourism Recovery Stimulus Fund.
     

  4. Recognizing the unique challenge faced by urban centres and helping attract new business by introducing a Business Events Recovery Program.
     

  5. Incentivizing domestic travel through a new Canadian Travel Incentive Program.

We are ready to engage in meaningful dialogue with Government on how we can collaborate on
reopening the visitor economy.


Send your letter of support now! 

 

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