History of Tourism in Canada PDF

History of Tourism A Canadian Perspective Origins of Tourism in Canada Tourism has long been a source of economic development for our country. Major developments in Canada’s tourism industry followed milestones in the transportation sector: by rail, by car, and eventually, in the skies. Railway T...

History of Tourism A Canadian Perspective Origins of Tourism in Canada Tourism has long been a source of economic development for our country. Major developments in Canada’s tourism industry followed milestones in the transportation sector: by rail, by car, and eventually, in the skies. Railway Travel The dawn of the railway age in Canada came midway through the 19th century. The first railway was launched in 1836. In 1923 there were two main rail lines, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway, that together crossed all of the country. In 1978, with declining interest, these lines combined to form VIA Rail. The Rise of the Automobile The rising popularity of car travel was partially to blame for the decline in rail travel. Cars were initially considered a nuisance, and the National Parks Branch banned entry of automobiles, but later slowly began to embrace them. By the 1930s, some parks, such as Cape Breton Highlands National Park, were actually created to provide visitors with scenic drives It would take decades before a coast-to-coast highway was created, with the Trans-Canada Highway officially opening in Revelstoke in 1962. When it was fully completed in 1970, it was the longest national highway in the world, spanning one-fifth of the globe Early Tourism Promotion As early as 1892, enterprising Canadians like the Brewsters became the country’s first tour operators, leading guests through areas such as Banff National Park. Communities across Canada developed their own marketing strategies as transportation development took hold. For instance, the town of Maisonneuve in Quebec launched a campaign from 1907 to 1915 calling itself “Le Pittsburg du Canada.” By 1935, Quebec was spending $250,000 promoting tourism. Other provinces such as Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia followed suit, also enjoying the benefits of establishing provincial tourism bureaus National Airlines Our national airline, Air Canada, was formed in 1937 In many ways, Air Canada was a world leader in passenger aviation, introducing the world’s first computerized reservations system in 1963 Through the 1950s and 1960s, reduced airfares saw increased mass travel. Competitors began to launch international flights during this time to Australia, Japan, and South America The near halt of the global tourism industry during the pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020 severely affected Air Canada, which posted a whopping $1 billion loss in its first quarter, cutting thousands of jobs, slashing 90% of its flight schedule, and foreseeing a tough and later rebound. Parks and Protected Areas The official conservation of our natural spaces began around the same time as the railway boom. In 1885 Banff was established as Canada’s first national park. By 1911, the Dominion Forest Reserves and Parks Act created the Dominion Parks Branch, the first of its kind in the world. Through the 1930s, conservation officers and interpreters were hired to enhance visitor experiences. By 1970, the National Park System Plan divided Canada into 39 regions, with the goal of preserving each distinct ecosystem for future generations. In 1987, the country’s first national marine park was established in Ontario, and in the 20 years that followed, 10 new national parks and marine conservation areas were created Global Shock and Industry Decline As with the global industry, Canada’s tourism industry was impacted by world events such as the Great Depression, the World Wars, socio-political turmoil, and global outbreak of disease. Global events such as 9/11, the SARS outbreak, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the economic recession of 2008 took their toll on tourism receipts but have successfully seen short-term rebounds. This biggest impact on the tourism industry was the corona virus of 2019 (COVID-19), which was first found in China in late 2019 and eventually declared as a pandemic by March 2020 as it spread globally. With global travel restrictions, combined with people feeling uneasy about travel, many tourism businesses and operators big and small were forced to close. The UNWTO predicted a 60% to 70% drop in tourist numbers, as well as a loss of a staggering USD 910 billion to USD 1.2 trillion in export revenues, and up to 120 million jobs put at risk. According to the UNWTO, COVID-19 created the worst crisis in the history of global tourism since records began in 1950. Tourism in Canada Prior to COVID-19 In 2018, tourism created $102 billion in total economic activity and 1.8 million jobs according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. Up to 2019, Canadian tourism reached its 3rd consecutive year of breaking records by welcoming 22.1 million inbound visitors. Tourism is a major player in the workforce, where 1 in 11 jobs in the country is directly involved with travellers. The United States is Canada’s biggest tourism market, which we welcome more than all international travellers combined. As 68% of all inbound visitors to Canada in 2018, American travellers are also big spenders at $663 per trip and typically seek natural attractions, historical sites, and food and drink when they enter the country. Aside from the United States, Canada continues to see strong visitation from the United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Brazil, and China. In 2018, we welcomed 6.9 million travellers (excluding the US), more that doubling since 2011 (Statistics Canada, 2019). Canadians travelling domestically accounted for 78% of tourism revenues in the country, though spend less at $244 per trip