'Almost there': Ontario tourism industry recovering

The hard-hit Ontario tourism industry has almost recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are almost at 2019 levels, but we need to improve, and we need to get to the next level,” said Andrew Siegwart, president of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO).

His words were a comfort to the 250 attendees at the annual Southern Ontario Tourism Conference held in Sarnia, Ont. on Tuesday.

After years of lockdowns and border shutdowns, most in attendance appeared upbeat.

“What we’ve seen in London, especially in the last year or so, is the numbers have certainly gone up. Our hotel rates are up, our occupancy rates are up,” said Natalie Wakabayashi of Tourism London.

The president of Tourism Sarnia-Lambton agrees with the statistics when it comes to Canadian travelers.

Andrew Siegwart, president of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, speaks at the Southern Ontario Tourism Conference in Sarnia, Ont. on March 5, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

But Mark Perrin said it remains a struggle to attract Americans, and added U.S. leisure visits remain well below pre-pandemic levels.

“So, we have some work to do. I feel we’ve got to get another 20 to 25 per cent [of Americans] to cross the border and come to our attractions,” he explained.

To get there, TICO is recommending municipal and private tourism agencies focus on growing market share.

But amidst an ongoing industry labour shortage, it is a tough challenge to meet.

That is why TICO is calling for more municipalities to consider implementing a municipal accommodations tax (MAT).

Although not always popular with tourists, MATs fund tourism promotion and municipal infrastructure.

Natalie Wakabayashi of Tourism London is seen during a conference in Sarnia, Ont. on March 5, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

London implemented the tax in late 2022.

“Four per cent is a pretty small tax compared to some other taxes that are on a bill,” Wakabayashi told CTV News London. “So, it can be seen as a negative, but from a tourism perspective it really is a positive.”

Another positive in the industry is the Canadian dollar.

With a 30 per cent cost saving to Americans, Perrin said it is imperative Ontario gets the message out that it pays to cross the border.

“I think as a Canadian, you’d go almost anywhere for a 30 per cent discount,” he said. 

Sarnia, Ont. is seen on March 5, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)