Ontario's tourism industry continues to struggle in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and is unlikely to fully recover until 2025, according to a new report by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
The new report recommends that the Government of Ontario take several steps to boost tourism, including tax incentives, promoting cannabis tourism, and developing more affordable housing to support staff recruitment across the industry.
Seven in 10 (70%) of tourism companies in Ontario reported that they have taken on debt to stay afloat since the pandemic began in March 2020, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.
The report urges the Ontario government and federal government in Ottawa to increase business loan forgiveness and extend an interest-free repayment period to tourism companies.
Ontario should also encourage and promote cannabis tourism through regulatory changes around special event permits and consumption lounges, according to the report.
However, there are challenges with getting people to work in the tourism industry following the pandemic. There has been an 80% increase in tourism and hospitality job postings in recent years, the report said.
Recommendations in the report also include proposed changes to the immigration system to attract newcomers to hospitality work and retain people who come to Ontario as international students.
