Features Recruitment
‘Discover Tourism’ recruitment campaign aims to shift narrative on careers in booming sector

Travel has rebounded from COVID, but the tourism industry in Canada is struggling to find enough workers to keep pace with the demand.

Tourism businesses across the country are operating with more than 100,000 fewer workers than in 2019, according to Tourism HR Canada. In an effort to attract more jobseekers, it has launched a new campaign — Discover Tourism — that is designed to close the gap and encourage further growth and recovery in the sector.

“The updated Discover Tourism brand and the new resources we’ve built are essential tools to help the tourism sector recover. It invites workers and businesses across the country to make the journey in tourism with us,” said Philip Mondor, president and CEO of Tourism HR Canada. “Tourism is a big and ever-changing industry in Canada. We want to make sure we’re connecting visitors with the best experiences possible, and that comes through the incredible people in, and joining, the industry.”

Full recovery by 2024

As a multi-billion-dollar industry, tourism will continue to expand and change in the coming years, with full recovery of tourism spending expected in 2024, it said.

More than two million Canadians are employed in the tourism sector — and about one in 10 jobs were related to the industry in 2019.

“With international and local travel increasing, this is the perfect time to invest further in the tourism sector,” said Beth Potter, president and CEO of Tourism Industry Association of Canada. “And it’s incredible how the industry has changed and how careers and opportunities have evolved. There’s greater flexibility, adventure, fun. Discover Tourism is poised to be the hub for anyone looking to continue or start their career in tourism, and we’re excited to be a part of it.”

Discover Tourism: Watch the video

Career destination

Discover Tourism is designed to be the go-to online destination for people looking for tourism career information and employers looking to attract, train and retain top talent, it said.

Tourism HR Canada brings 30 years’ experience as a trusted source for HR advice for the sector; using tools, data and an understanding of industry trends, Discover Tourism will aid employers and employees alike. Supported by the tagline, “tourism can take you there,” the focus is on the journey – what can people discover working in tourism – and key sectors: accommodations, recreation and entertainment, food and beverage services, transportation, and travel services.

The project highlights the diversity of the people who are working in and building the industry, and the diversity of the different types of careers and opportunities available. It’s a space to explore the possibilities that Canadian tourism has to offer.

“Canada is a diverse nation, with so much to see and experience. As such, the tourism industry has equally diverse careers, something for every talent and temperament. Whether you’d like to work in a hotel, museum, airport, brewpub, resort, or other interesting business, you can build a great career in tourism — from the front line to the C-suite. These new online resources from Tourism HR Canada can help you learn more about the great career opportunities in tourism. Accessible, online resources that can really open doors to adventure,” says Marsha Walden, president and CEO of Destination Canada. “We’re thrilled to play a part in sharing this message.”

Interactive experience

The Discover Tourism campaign features interactive experiences to help future and current employees navigate their career journey in tourism, including quizzes and career maps. It also offers checklists and HR self-assessments for employers looking to improve their operations. More tools and resources will be launched online over the coming weeks, it said.

The campaign also provides industry partners with a toolkit to share through their marketing and communication channels, including links to all job profile videos and visual elements, highlighting the possible roles, responsibilities and opportunities to those looking for a career in tourism.

For more information, visit www.discovertourism.ca