Tourism strategy aims to make Canada a top seven destination by 2030

Destination Canada hopes to catapult Canada back into the top seven global destinations by 2030 with a new tourism strategy called “A World of Opportunity.”

Announced Thursday (May 16) by Destination Canada President and CEO Marsha Walden, and Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Canada’s Minister of Tourism, the plan is designed to increase Canada's global competitiveness and bring in up to $160 billion in annual revenue by 2030, transcending traditional constraints that currently cap the industry's potential at $140 billion.

Canada's global competitiveness “has continued to slip since 2009,” Destination Canada wrote in a press release.

The World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index, which measures the impact of factors and policies which enable sustainable development of tourism and its contribution to over 100 countries worldwide, ranked Canada as 13th – a drop of three places and marking the first time Canada has fallen out of the top ten.

"This is a pivotal moment for the tourism industry in Canada. We know tourism is already outpacing the global and Canadian economies but without a transformative shift, we risk stagnation and vulnerability to future economic shocks," stated Marsha Walden.

To “truly transform, there must be collective action,” Walden said, noting that Canadians “are at the heart of this strategy.”

Transformative growth for the sector will be achieved through four strategic drivers, each backed by coordinated initiatives and actions, says Destination Canada.

These include:

• Sector Advancement – None of the ambitious goals can be reached unless Canada is more competitive, officials say. Destination Canada has consulted with industry to identify 7 levers that can boost the sectors competitiveness.
• Brand Leadership – Creating a more sustainable and balanced tourism landscape through strategically targeting and geographically dispersing guests to expand seasonality and provide local opportunities.
• Destination Development – Working with communities and corridors to create long-term destination development strategies, and identify needed tourism infrastructure as well as the products, services, workforce and access required to meet the expectations of our guests and the needs of local communities.
• Collective Intelligence – Expanding the accessibility of data and insights, empowering businesses large and small, to compete with the world.

"Canada is a tourism superpower – because we have what the world wants," said Minister Ferrada. "Destination Canada's 'A World of Opportunity' strategy will help our tourism sector reach its full potential, bringing more visitors to our country and creating jobs and opportunities in communities nationwide.”

The strategy was shared at Canada's international tourism marketplace, Rendez-vous Canada, happening this week in Edmonton, AB.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.