Tourism Business Trends USA and Canada

While lounging in a swanky bar or restaurant, sipping craft cocktails and bashfully hovering over large dishes of tasty and pretentious hors d'oeuvres with attendees and fellow meeting profs, you've most likely heard the terms "post-pandemic" and the technically inclined "endemic," creating a spiral of memories from an era that seems so distant that it feels like a past life lived by others. To put it simply, the general populace in both North America and

Canada is eager to travel while also welcome tourism and events back to their own areas, much like the famous "before times

Destinations International, in collaboration with Longwoods International, created two separate National Resident Sentiment 2022 reports that assess how communities feel about tourism in their respective regions in the United States and Canada, including data-tracked specific tourism trends and how the public perceives these areas. The report's purpose is to allow locations in both countries to develop well-informed tourism engagement strategies for local communities.

A Demographic Split

In the United States, 4,000 persons were polled for the report, with major findings indicating that the tourism business remained strong despite some generational differences. One striking discrepancy was that, although older people saw the rise of the tourism business in their area as a positive, younger Gen Z residents (18-25) expressed skepticism about any potential benefits of local tourism.

Read More: Gen Z Meeting Professionals Navigate Industry Challenges with Hope for the Future

"One of the things that surprised me—and I did find a little bit concerning—was the demographic split, with younger residents not being as supportive," said Kristin McGrath, executive director of the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau. "That's something that, as an industry, we definitely have to keep an eye on," she said, noting that Pasadena has been mindful about the types of events held in the city, such as the Head in The Clouds music festival, which is oriented toward the 20-30 age group.

"I think that destination marketing organizations, as they're doing their product development, really need to be thoughtful about the types of events that are happening in their community to ensure that it attracts a wide variety of demographic targets," according to McGrath.

Geographical Variations

However, the 1,008 Canadians polled did not share the same demographic split as the Americans, with two-thirds of Canadians supporting increased tourism, regardless of age. Of those polled in Canada, 78% approved of developing tourism within their province, while 72% supported expansion in their local area. According to the survey, Canadians believe that tourism helps to attract new residents, expand the local workforce, and create new businesses while easing the tax burden on local residents by leveraging hotel and lodging taxes—which is good news given the high level of turnover in the hospitality industry during the pandemic.

"I would say that real-time data is showing us that there is an overwhelming demand for tourism and travel meetings as we enter the endemic stage," said Lesley Pincombe, vice president of meetings and major events for Ottawa Tourism.

Community Members Chime. Entrance to Rose Bowl

Using new and existing meeting facilities to attract events helps improve tourism and local governments in both countries. Seeking community approval may guarantee that all parties profit from any modifications, and future events add the wow factor.

"Pasadena has a long history of being a community that is supportive of tourism," says McGrath. "For a lot of folks, their first introduction to Pasadena as a destination really comes from watching the Rose Parade every New Year's Day."

Rose Bowl Stadium is one example of how community emotion may have a significant impact on local tourism. "The Rose Bowl is a city-owned asset." It belongs to the people of Pasadena. "And it's managed by The Rose Bowl Operating Company, which is led by a board of city council members," McGrath explained. As a result, the community has long recognized tourism as a key economic driver.

The first parade took place in 1890, when members of the Valley Hunt Club planned an activity to promote to their Midwest friends and family that would showcase the glorious sunshine and flowers in the midst of winter. Pasadena's efforts to maintain a strong tourism image include obtaining consent for any further local displacement events and reducing potential interruptions. "A displacement event is considered anything that's going to attract more than 20,000 attendees," she informed us. "The impact on the local residents and the local neighborhoods is definitely carefully considered as those events are scheduled."

Similarly, in Canada, the Landsdowne 2.0 project, made possible by the Landsdowne Park Partnership with the City of Ottawa, seeks to extend and modernize the park and amenities, which have served as a hub for culture and community events for over 175 years. "I would say that's probably the biggest project that is led by the municipality," according to Pincombe. The 40-year agreement with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group will also include a new mixed-use retail area, renovated public spaces, and basement parking. Regular public engagement meetings are arranged to allow local residents to ask questions and express any concerns they may have about proposed policies.

Eastern Canada's Northern Lights

"As citizens of this municipality, we have an invested interest in making sure that it gets built in the right place," according to Pincombe. "And that the amenities and the district itself are really representative of what this community needs." The project is expected to be completed in 2029.

What's next?

Getting groups to return to in-person events was a major relief for both countries' tourism industries, but the recovery is not without its challenges

"We've lost some incredible ambassadors who shaped the industry over the last 20, 30, 40 years, but we need to replenish that pool," Pincombe told reporters.

However, Canada has a distinct advantage in recruiting new talent for its tourism industry due to the country's active immigration policy and high percentage of international students, many of whom become permanent citizens, resulting in an ever-increasing pool of candidates.

"The focus is on the new Canadians and how we can assist them. "Many of them are coming from countries where they may already have experience in tourism and hospitality," Pincombe explained. She also emphasized the need of assessing how applicants with prior experience are "placed in organizations that align with their skill set to help bolster the workforce again so that we can return to not only the same service levels but also be able to innovate again."

Pincombe emphasizes the significance of connecting affordable housing with the desire for increased tourism. Canada has an extremely ambitious immigration plan for the coming years, with the capacity to accommodate up to 500,000 new individuals every year until 2025. "In order to attract new talent and even for new Canadians to stay in Ottawa, we have to find affordable housing for them to live in."