Tourism Contracts in Parallel with Broader Economy. The tourism sector[1] in January 2026 contracted slightly from December[2], with both labour force (-0.5%) and employment (-1.6%) seeing decreases. However, these losses were broadly in line with patterns seen across the broader…
One of the challenges our tourism sector faces is inconsistency. With industry associations, DMOs, and economic development teams each focused on their specific needs—to say nothing of differences between municipal, regional, provincial/territorial, and national frames of reference—it’s very easy to…
Tourism HR Canada is a proud partner on the Skills That Travel microsite, a workforce development initiative of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). The site features a curated collection of courses, training pathways, and practical resources to support…
On January 22, 2026, Tourism HR Canada and the Conseil québécois des ressources humaines en tourisme (CQRHT) formalized a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening their collaboration on labour market intelligence (LMI) in the tourism sector. Today’s workforce context…
Pre-Holiday Travel Lull Leads to Slight Drop in Employment. While December often marks a time of travel for many Canadians, the pre-holiday period—which the December Labour Force Survey targeted—remains a bit of a lull, with many businesses not yet ramping…
Two students and a teacher from Regina’s Balfour Collegiate had the unique opportunity to build connections and share ideas with other tourism students, educators, and industry professionals from around the world at the 2025 Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP)…
Canadian tourism is adapting to digital acceleration, climate pressures, and workforce shifts—all while maintaining the human connections that define our sector. Conversations at three recent major gatherings— the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s Tourism Congress, the Conseil québécois des ressources…
Tourism Stays the Course Through Autumn Lull. November is often a slow period in tourism, with the weather turning colder but not cold enough or snowy enough to support winter activities. The Canadian economy is still adjusting to new political…
With a record summer tourism season now in the books, how do we continue growing a skilled workforce to meet the rising demand for exceptional experiences? Whether it’s a frontline worker welcoming guests or a seasoned manager guiding a team,…
By Joe Baker, Tourism HR Canada Board of Directors Opening: A Sector Caught in the Crossfire In recent months, federal policy changes have reshaped the landscape for international students in Canada. New caps on study permits and restricted eligibility for…
Tourism holds steady from September. The tourism sector[1] in October 2025 saw little change over the previous month in terms of labour force or employment[2]. Both indices grew by less than one percent, on par with changes seen across the…
Tourism is a cornerstone of Canada’s service economy, supporting over 2.2 million jobs and 265,800 businesses in more than 5,000 communities. The sector depends heavily on human capital — after all, tourism is nothing without its people delivering memorable experiences….
