In October a Tourism Richmond delegation, including our CEO Nancy Small, attended the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) Congress in Ottawa. It was a busy and very worthwhile few days of meeting and hearing from industry leaders and innovators.
Marsha Walden, President, and CEO of Destination Canada spoke about moving on from disruption and called on “Team Canada” to work together to create bold and innovative marketing and development strategies. Minister of Tourism Randy Boissonnault doubled down on this optimism and committed to ensuring tourism continues to rise up the political agenda.
The schedule also included important discussions on how the industry adapts to climate change, supporting the recovery of business events and attracting and retaining workforces across the industry. These are all key issues that we know are being felt throughout tourism businesses in Richmond and it was reassuring to see such a united focus on these issues from across the industry. It was truly inspiring to hear of some of the approaches and perspectives from across the country that will drive the industry forward in the years to come.
The team also heard from industry experts about the innovative thinking and actions happening around the future of tourism in city centres, the positive impacts of regenerative tourism, and driving Canada’s competitive edge in a global market.
The 2022 Congress was exceptionally well organized, and we thank TIAC for hosting a great event. Not only was it an opportunity to represent Richmond on the national stage, but it was also a chance to exchange ideas and advice with tourism businesses across the country. The team came back energized and with heads full of ideas, many of which we are excited to begin implementing in our own work in 2023.
Sincerely,
Gareth Roberts
Tourism Richmond Team Member
Destination Development Specialist