Today, Destination Canada released a new report, Tourism’s Big Shift: Key Trends Shaping the Future of Canada’s Tourism Industry. The report identifies the key trends that will have the greatest impact on Canada’s travel and tourism industry in the next one to three years.  

With more than 20 months of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, some of the potential long-term effects are becoming clearer while others are still emerging. Developing a collective understanding of these changes in the tourism industry and in consumer behaviours, as well as their potential implications, is key to the industry’s recovery. This new analysis of trends will help Destination Canada, and the wider tourism industry, adjust strategic areas of focus, mitigate risk, and maximize market opportunities, helping our sector emerge stronger and more resilient.  

For tourism businesses and operators across the country, this trends analysis will also help inform their strategies and understand the key immediate changes anticipated as well as the longer-term implications.  

A critical finding for our industry to consider is that the emerging consumer preferences align with a more aspirational level of tourism. The travellers of tomorrow have a strong affinity to connect with people and places – they want to give back to the communities they visit.  

This new report further dives into the trends influencing the traveller of tomorrow under three key areas:  

• Macro trends: The profound socio-economic changes that will affect businesses and communities of all kinds, including climate change and accelerated digitalization. 
• Industry Trends: Key challenges that will impact Canadian tourism businesses, such as reduced transport connectivity and labour shortages.  
• Market Trends: Changes in consumer behaviour and values that will influence tourism businesses operational models, product and service development, channel marketing budgets, and focus for the future, including trends such as responsible travel, health and wellbeing and Indigenous connection - these emerging consumer preferences align with a more aspirational level of tourism. 

As we look towards the future, a better understanding of these trends is critical to focus our efforts – and help us, as an industry, align with new and shifting market realities.  

Download the full report here.

Posted: 2021-11-26