Forward Motion

This episode features Andrew Siegwart and Madison Simmons from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) focused on the recent provincial election and the future of Ontario's tourism industry. Premier Doug Ford secured a third consecutive majority, with the election highlighting economic concerns and trade relations with the US as key priorities.

TIAO launched a pre-election campaign called "Ontario Needs Tourism," generating over 1,200 letters to candidates and emphasizing the sector's economic importance. The conversation explored several critical recommendations for tourism growth, including:

1. Increasing marketing funding by $15 million to compete with other provinces
2. Creating a $20 million fund to support sport and business event bidding
3. Improving transportation infrastructure
4. Addressing workforce challenges, particularly international student work permits
5. Reforming municipal accommodation tax regulations

The discussion also previewed an upcoming Ontario Tourism Strategy developed through consultations with over 1,000 businesses. The strategy's six key priorities include:

• Strategic investment in tourism capacity
• Transportation infrastructure improvements
• Market diversification
• Sustainability initiatives
• Workforce development
• Enhanced collaboration among support organizations

The overarching message emphasized the need for focused, collaborative approaches to drive productivity and economic growth in the tourism sector, particularly in the context of current economic uncertainties.

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Victoria Clarke emphasizes the importance of seizing opportunities and being adaptable. She joined Visit Mississauga during the pandemic, seeing it as a chance to build a new destination marketing organization from scratch. Her approach focuses on innovative, bold marketing strategies that challenge traditional tourism boundaries.

Key initiatives include events like the Jackalope Festival and APIC, which aim to showcase Mississauga's diverse, multicultural identity and attract global attention. She highlights the city's hidden gems, particularly its rich culinary scene, which represents 126 countries through local restaurants and markets.

Clarke is actively involved in national and international tourism organizations, believing in the power of collaboration and continuous learning. Her advice to emerging leaders is to be genuine, volunteer, and dream big. She stresses the importance of building a strong network of mentors and colleagues.

Her leadership philosophy centers on being open to learning, taking risks, and creating opportunities that benefit both the tourism industry and local communities. Victoria sees tourism as a powerful tool for cultural understanding and economic development.

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Welcome to Forward Motion - a show emanating from the offices of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is recognized by government as the voice of tourism. We advocate the importance of tourism as an economic driver and job creator in order to serve the interests of Ontario's diverse tourism industry and business community. Join the Conversation.

Andrew Siegwart is your host.

At TIAO, we work on behalf of our membership, collectively representing the majority of tourism businesses and employees across the province, to take on pressing policy issues that impact the Ontario tourism industry. TIAO leads the way in government relations on behalf of the Ontario tourism industry, including tourism businesses and operators, destination marketing organizations, regional tourism organizations, and educators. We provide evidenced-based policy recommendations to ensure the provincial government understands and addresses the multifaceted needs of the tourism industry.

TIAO propels the powerful and innovative Ontario tourism industry by connecting tourism leaders, innovators, government, and educators through events and conferences. We are proud to host the largest gathering of tourism leaders, educators, businesses, and government officials in Canada, at our annual Ontario Tourism Summit.

And this... is our podcast.

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