Destination Canada has released a first-of-its-kind measurement tool that looks beyond traditional metrics like visitor spending and arrivals to assess the comprehensive benefits tourism brings to Canadians. Tourism’s Wealth & Wellbeing Index highlights the sector’s role in empowering communities, preserving culture, protecting Canada’s natural assets, and driving economic growth – demonstrating tourism’s potential to empower local economies while enhancing Canada’s global competitiveness.
Long-term growth in tourism depends on balancing economic gains with essential elements like employment, infrastructure, and transformative experiences and the Index provides a framework to measure these contributions. The Index is comprised of six interconnected components that drive revenue, expand the tax base, fuel reinvestment, and ultimately create greater demand, ensuring long-term prosperity for communities across the country:
- Economy examines tourism’s role in generating sustainable economic growth and prosperity.
- Employment focuses on inclusivity and assesses the extent to which tourism creates quality, accessible and diverse jobs.
- Enablement measures the impact of tourism on infrastructure that supports both tourism and local communities, ensuring accessibility and long-term sustainability.
- Environment examines the environmental footprint of tourism, including sustainability practices and resource management.
- Engagement assesses tourism’s role in fostering social inclusion and preserving cultural heritage.
- Experience examines how tourism enriches the lives of guests, offering transformative and memorable experiences.
The Index serves as a strategic tool for industry leaders, policymakers, and businesses, offering data-driven insights and best practices from across the country to inform decision making and the ability to capitalize on tourism’s growth potential. With the sector projected to outpace the broader Canadian economy, strategic investment is crucial to ensure that communities across Canada are poised to take advantage of the opportunities ahead.
