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The Canadian Academy of Travel & Tourism (CATT) program is looking toward the future as it works with virtual programs from several provinces. Integrating technology with the learning environment is essential as students of the digital age move through the public education system. Programs that offer a virtual experience allow students who may not have a tourism or hospitality program at their local high school to participate in the Academy program. CATT currently works with virtual schools in British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
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In April, the unemployment rate for the tourism sector was 7.5%, compared to the total economy, which was 8.5%. Of the 36,000 new jobs created, 17,000 were in the "Information, Culture, and Recreation" industry, which includes numerous tourism jobs in entertainment venues, casinos, museums, etc. For more national numbers, please see the Labour Force Survey release from Statistics Canada’s The Daily.
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On April 22 and 23, 2009, CTHRC attended a first meeting of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) Roundtable on Sustainability in Toronto. The meeting was convened by TIAC and sponsored by Parks Canada. The event’s main objective was to create a starting point to develop sustainable tourism criteria that will certify businesses and create experiences that can be communicated to visitors. This new group is intended to evolve into a communications and exchange network that can also serve as a permanent advisory group to help guide sustainable tourism initiatives throughout the Canadian tourism sector.
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Earlier this month, CTHRC Special Advisor Scott Meis, on behalf of the Council, the Travel and Tourism Research Association, and the Canadian Tourism Research Institute, attended the Research Committee Meeting of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) in Regina, Saskatchewan. The meeting was convened by the CTC and hosted by Tourism Saskatchewan. The event’s main objective was to present the program updates of the CTC Research Strategic Plan 2009, the Industry Canada Role and Federal Tourism Strategy initiative, and associated CTC research program activities and emerging products. Also presented were subcommittee reports on the Travel Survey of Residents of Canada, the International Travel Survey, and the Research Partners Forum. Under the topic of Supplementary Research, Scott Meis presented the results and findings of the recently completed Canadian Tourism Sector Benchmark Study.
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There’s no doubt about it — it’s a tough time to be in business. Whether you own your company, hold a position in senior management or work in human resources, there is a lot of pressure on you to ensure that your organization makes it through the recession with the fewest battle scars possible.
One of the key factors to your success will be how you handle the people who work for you — especially if you are considering laying off staff.
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The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) and Skills Canada recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), formalizing a new partnership which will see them work together towards improving the quality of the Canadian labour force by promoting skilled trades, professional certification, and careers to Canadian youth. Both the Council and Skills Canada are interested in securing Canada’s future labour force and helping youth discover rewarding careers. The agreement remains in effect until April 2014.
“A skilled labour force is key to Canada’s global competitiveness,” says CTHRC President Wendy Swedlove. “With this new agreement, CTHRC and Skills Canada will work in tandem to promote training and high occupational standards to individuals working in tourism and inspire those considering a skilled career in tourism through outstanding young role models.”
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From March 30 to April 2, 2009, CTHRC, as part of the Canadian delegation, attended the 5th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics – Tourism: an Engine for Employment – in Bali, Indonesia. The conference was convened by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), with the support of the UN Statistics Division (UNSD), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia.
The event was attended by more than 300 senior officials from national tourism administrations, national statistical offices, and ministries of labour, plus numerous stakeholders representing government and non-government tourism organizations, labour organizations, entrepreneurs, and academic institutions. The conference’s main objective was to bring together policy-makers, politicians, statisticians, and researchers to address issues regarding the future development of tourism statistics, in particular the measurement and quality of employment in tourism industries.
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The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), recently launched the Marquee Tourism Events Program, which supports existing festivals and events across Canada. The program will invest $100 million over two years and aims to stimulate the competitiveness of Canada’s events industry in today’s tough economy.
The funding will help marquee events to attract visitors on an international level, thereby boosting Canada as a destination of choice. Marquee events are defined by the program as annual, well-established, world-class events. By attracting tourists from all over the world, these events boost spending in industries such as accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, and travel services. This spin-off spending will help to secure current jobs and create new ones in tourism and tourism-related sectors.
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From March 25 to 27, 2009, CTHRC connected with 400 delegates at the Canadian Museums Association National Conference in Toronto. Museum, gallery, and heritage site professionals and students learned about the Council's various products and programs. The event offered an excellent opportunity to increase awareness of emerit training and certification, the Discover Tourism online resources, and the Employee-Rated Employer of Choice program. Delegates were particularly interested in the online training opportunities and the Heritage Interpreter certification.
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On March 26, 2009, CTHRC and OTEC connected with events professionals at the Canadian Special Events & Meetings Expo (CSEME) in Toronto. They raised awareness of the Council and emerit programming to over 200 event services exhibitors, events professionals, students and educators of post-secondary event management programs, and other delegates. Delegates were particularly interested in learning more about industry-based standards and emerit certification for Event Coordinator and Event Manager, including the self-paced online learning options. Significant interest was also expressed regarding the International Event Management Standard and Recognition, which is currently under development, and its relation to other professional event designations. Additional connections were made with members of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and the current chair of the International Special Events Society (ISES) Canada.
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