New post-Covid report shows bright future in rebuilding group travel
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 term “post-pandemic” and the technically inclined “endemic,” creating a spiral of memories from an age that seems so distant that it feels like a past life lived by other people. Suffice it to say, the general public in both North America and Canada are eager to travel while also welcoming tourism and events back to their respective communities much in the vein of the storied “before times.”
Destinations International, in collaboration with Longwoods International, produced two separate National Resident Sentiment 2022 reports, evaluating how communities feel about tourism within their respective regions in the United States and Canada which includes data-tracked specific trends related to tourism and how exactly the public perceives these areas. The goal of the report is to provide destinations in both countries with an opportunity to craft well-informed engagement strategies around tourism within their communities.
A Demographic Split
In the United States, 4,000 adults were surveyed for the report with key findings reporting that the tourism industry remains strong but with some generational variations. One notable contrast showed that while older residents said that they see the expansion of the tourism industry in their area as a plus, younger Gen Z residents (18-25) indicated that they are skeptical of any potential benefits of local tourism.
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“One of the things that surprised me—and I did find a little bit concerning—was the demographic split with the younger residents not being as supportive,” said Kristin McGrath, executive director at Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau. “That’s something that as an industry, we definitely have to keep our eye on,” she added, noting that Pasadena has been thoughtful about the types of events that are held in the city such as the Head in The Clouds music festival geared toward the 20-30-year-old demographic.
“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,” McGrath said.
Geographic Variations
However, the 1,008 Canadians surveyed didn’t share the same demographic split seen in the U.S. with two-thirds of Canadian sentiment pointing to the approval of boosting tourism, regardless of resident age. Of those surveyed in Canada, 78% approved of expanding tourism within their province and 72% supported expansion in their local area. The survey shows that Canadians, by significant margins when compared to the U.S., 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—good news considering the high level of turnover within the hospitality seen during the pandemic.
“I would say that real-time data is showing us that there’s an overwhelming demand for tourism and travel meetings as we entered into the endemic stage,” said Lesley Pincombe, vice president of meetings and major events at Ottawa Tourism.
Community Members Chime In
Leveraging new and existing meeting facilities to attract events plays a major role in helping to boost tourism and local governments in both countries. Seeking community approval can ensure all sides benefit from any changes and future events bring the wow factor.
“Pasadena has a long history of being a community that is supportive of tourism,” said 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 an example of how community sentiment can make a major impact on local tourism. “The Rose Bowl is a city-owned asset. It belongs to the citizens of Pasadena. And it’s managed by The Rose Bowl Operating Company, which is run by a board appointed by city council members,” McGrath said. As a result, the community has always had very deep roots in understanding tourism as an economic driver.
The first parade happened in 1890 as a result of members of the Valley Hunt Club planning an activity that they could promote to their friends and family in the Midwest that would highlight the beautiful sunshine and flowers in the midst of winter. Pasadena’s efforts to keep tourism in a positive light include gaining approval for any additional local displacement events and mitigating any potential disruptions. “A displacement event is considered anything that’s going to attract more than 20,000 attendees,” she said. “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 through the Landsdowne Park Partnership with the City of Ottawa, aims to expand and revitalize the park and facilities that have been a central place for culture and community events for over 175 years. “I would say that’s probably the biggest project that is led by the municipality,” Pincombe said. The 40-year partnership with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group also includes the addition of a new mixed-use retail space, reimagined public spaces and subterranean parking. Public engagement sessions are held periodically to give local residents the chance to ask questions and voice any concerns they may have on proposed policies.
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“As citizens of this municipality, we have an invested interest in making sure that it gets built in the right place,” Pincombe said. “And that the amenities and the district itself are really representative of what this community needs.” The expected date of completion for the project is 2029.
What’s Next
Getting groups to return to in-person events was a huge relief for the tourism industry of both countries, but that recovery isn’t free of residual issues. “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 said.
However, Canada has a unique advantage in recruiting new talent for its tourism industry due to the county’s aggressive immigration policy and high rate of international students—many of whom become permanent residents—creating an ever-growing pool of candidates.
“Focus is on the new Canadians and how we can help them. A lot of them are coming from countries where they may already have a background in tourism and hospitality,” Pincombe said. She also stressed the importance of considering how candidates who possess previous 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 would also be able to be innovating again.”
Pincombe points to the importance of aligning affordable housing with the push to increase tourism. Canada has a very aggressive immigration plan over the next few years with the ability to accommodate up to 500,000 new people each 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.”
