Ontario tourism group seeks increased U.S. marketing

Ontario’s tourism industry is calling on the provincial government to provide more money for marketing.

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario would like $15 million added to the budget of Destination Ontario, which oversees tourism marketing.

Speaking before a provincial committee conducting pre-budget consultations, President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Siegwart, says it could help with efforts to attract more visitors to the province.

“I would say that the industry is delivering strong domestic marketing, encouraging Ontarians to travel and the rest of Canada to come to Ontario,” says Siegwart.

“Where this boost in funding would really help is to allow more marketing in the United States and more marketing overseas, which would drive visitors who stay longer, spend more, and have a real interest in exploring all of the areas in Ontario, particularly small communities.”

Siegwart notes the province is losing visitors to British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec because it is not spending enough on marketing.

A tourism advocacy group is also looking to the province to help with a shortage of workers in the industry.

Siegwart predicts the shortfall will reach 88,000 by 2030.

He says earmarking more training dollars to tourism operators could offset the closure of college culinary and tourism programs caused by the federal cap on international students.

“If we can leverage more of those skills development dollars to train folks in the workplace while the colleges are retooling, that would really be a way to keep us rolling,” says Siegwart.

The Association also recommends that the province establish a tourism tax credit to stimulate more investment in things like restaurants, attractions and hotels.