What does success in tourism really look like?
That was the big question posed at the inaugural Together For Impact Virtual Summit staged by Destination Canada’s Australian Strategic Advisory Group.
The summit was organised to explore how regenerative tourism can create positive value for both travellers and host communities.
“At the heart of today’s summit is a question that I believe our whole industry should be asking: What does success in tourism really look like?,” said Julie King, Managing Director, Destination Canada Australia.
“We often measure it in visitors, in bookings and in revenue. These matter; they sustain businesses and they create jobs. But shouldn’t success also be measured by what tourism leaves behind?
“Stronger communities, thriving local businesses, richer cultural connections, places that benefit from welcoming visitors, because surely the greatest opportunity that our industry has isn’t simply to grow tourism; it is to grow tourism in a way that creates greater value for everyone.”
Ms King told the online audience of travel agents and industry figures that the aspiration behind Destination Canada’s 2030 tourism strategy, entitled A World of Opportunity, was to help tourism generate wealth and well-being for all Canadians and to enrich the life of its guests.
“It is also what guides our regenerative approach to tourism, strengthening local economies, supporting thriving communities and cultures, and contributing positively to the natural environment.
“This is not about asking travellers to compromise. It is about helping them to experience Canada more fully, discovering places that they may never have considered, exploring different seasons, or staying longer and connecting more deeply, and that’s good for business.”
As part of this, the summit also saw the launch of Canada: Slow Down. Stay Longer. Go Further, a practical guide for the travel industry to create richer and more rewarding Canadian journeys for their clients.
“Richer experiences give us better stories to tell, greater value to offer clients and more reasons for them to return and recommend you all.”
Ms King also highlighted the Partnership Pledge Community as an invitation to think differently, take practical action and be part of an industry community that works towards a shared ambition.
“Whether you’re a travel advisor, a tour operator, airline wholesaler, or an industry partner, you have a part to play and this is not a choice between purpose and profit.
“We need thriving businesses. We need strong demand and we need communities that benefit from tourism.
“I genuinely believe Australia and New Zealand have an opportunity to lead the way, showing that commercial success and positive impact can go hand in hand.
“What if the true measure of a great holiday wasn’t simply what it gave our clients, but what it made possible for the places they visited? That’s a future worth working towards together.”
The keynote speaker was Chief Frank Antoine, board chair of the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance, a leader in tourism and cultural initiatives.
Chief Antoine has spent decades advocating for Indigenous rights, cultural preservation and sustainable development.
“There’s more than 630 indigenous communities across Canada and each one of them have their own unique story to talk about and to share,” he said.
“It’s important that we keep the identity of our culture, our traditions and our languages because it helps us understand one another across the world.”
Chief Antoine added that while indigenous tourism provided an economic benefit to local communities, it was also serving a deeper purpose.
“Indigenous tourism is also revitalising our culture, our language and our traditions. There’s an opportunity not only for visitors to learn our authenticity, but it’s also a chance for us to educate our own kids.”
Chief Antoine also urged agents to experience Canada first hand in order to be able to sell the destination to their clients.
“You arrive as a guest, but you leave as a friend.”
Download Canada: Slow Down. Stay Longer. Go Further. here
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