Why is Tourism Important in the Canadian Economy?

May 17 hospitality and tourism management courses
 

Key Takeaways:

  • 10% of Canadian jobs are in the tourism industry, which employs 1.8 million people in 200,000 workplaces.
  • One in ten jobs, or 292 million jobs, were supported by travel and tourism.
  • The tourism industry is one of the few where female labor participation is already over parity in some locations, with women making up 60% to 70% of the workforce.

The workers that come to mind when people think about the tourist business are the front-line employees: the holiday representative, the waiter, and the diving instructor. But in truth, the tourist sector is much, much bigger than this.

Tourism constitutes 10% of Canada’s employment or equivalent to 1.8 million people in 200,000 workplaces. 

The tourism sector contributes close to 5% of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) between lodging, services for food and beverages, travel services, leisure and entertainment, and transportation.

Prior to the pandemic, Canada profited from a growing worldwide travel industry. Since 2000, tourism has been expanding around three to four times as quickly as the world’s population and 1.5 times as quickly as the global GDP as a whole.

With these remarkable facts and figures, Canada has kept its door open to a broader range of work opportunities in the tourism industry. 

Here are a few instances of how tourism has benefited the economy.

 

Creates Job Efficiency 

Significant job growth has resulted from the quick growth of international tourism. Tourism generates a wide range of job possibilities–cleaners, amusement park employees, and hotel management. The job potentials are endless due to this.

Travel and tourism–which supported 292 million employment, or one in ten jobs–was the second-largest job generator. It has continued to grow more even with the strike of the pandemic. 

Several more positions are becoming available as we gradually return to normal, and the tourist industry has also opened its doors to larger prospects.

 

Benefits Women

In the tourist sector, women make up 60% to 70% of the workforce, making it one of the few industries where female labor participation is already over parity in some areas.

According to some, women inherently possess the elegance and grace associated with hospitality, and the hospitality business historically had a larger portion of women than in other industries.

This has made it easier for women to seek a job that they would predominate in. These include housekeepers, tour guides, flight attendants, and hotel employees. 

But regardless of this, the industry is incredibly inclusive and accepting of people of all genders. This is why it is a terrific idea to work in this field.

 

Overall Economy Boost

Tourism significantly strengthens the economy. This is partly due to the jobs that tourism generates, as indicated above. Still, it is also due to the temporary increase in the number of consumers that happens when someone visits a new place.

Over the years, it has been established that tourism plays a significant role in the economy. The tourism and hospitality industry offers many work options, and it is undoubtedly an excellent career route to follow.

Enroll at Eton College right away to prepare for a career in the travel and hospitality industry!

 

Sources:

Canada, T. H. (2019, February 20). 10 Reasons Why 10% Matters: Tourism Employment Transforms Lives & Communities. Tourism HR Canada. https://tourismhr.ca/2019/02/20/10-reasons-why-10-matters-tourism-employment-transforms-lives-communities/

Canada’s Tourism Economy. (n.d.). Lop.parl.ca. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/202133E#a3-1

Canada, S. (2015, October 23). Forbidden. Aem. https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2019/01/statistics-canada-reports-that-tourism-spending-is-growing-in-canada.html