Tourism is a very important industry that impacts the world and its economy. Since the advent of air travel, tourism has become more easy and affordable. International travel has assumed huge proportions with the growth in the travel industry and the airline industry. But challenges abound and persist. The Tourism industry is burdened with increases in taxes, which increases fares and rental rates, impacting growth. The cost of fuel keeps changing, adding a level of disruption to the industry. Globalization and standardization in the industry is delivering similar experiences to tourists – be it in hotels, cuisines, activities, locations; while people are looking for new experiences. The emergence of new niche markets like Bali, Thailand, Sri Lanka is another issue which needs to be addressed in policy making. The traveler profile has also changed. In addition to the baby boomer generations from Europe and U.S. who are in their 60s, there is a new segment of travelers from countries like India, China and Indonesia, which have huge populations and are experiencing an economic boom. The industry needs to cater to these segments, not only in terms of quality destinations but in terms of type of activities and medical emergency protocols for the elderly. The emerging market countries also face infrastructure, political and health concerns, which is again detrimental to their tourism industry. Motivations for travel are also different, depending on the type of individuals. Tourists today can be classified into business, leisure, air or auto, solo travelers or families with children (David, Edgell & Swanson, 2013, pg. 14). The younger digital generation (the digital natives), crave for unique and differentiating experiences – like a 30 minute flight in a fighter aircraft or a trek to Mount Everest. Technology has also affected travel, with many companies reducing travel budgets because of online meetings with VOIP technology. Social media is also helping drive destination preference. Travel and tourism has a big impact on job creation in various countries
and supports the economy. In the recent years, travel tourism industry has undergone many turbulent times. The post 9/11 world is very different and its after effects on the tourism industry were felt globally. There are also issues related to health, terrorism, natural calamities, country politics and socio cultural environments that impact the growth of tourism (Tarlow, 2006). Issues regarding the right of a country to deny visas remain a stumbling block, according to OECD (2014). International tourism is expected to reach 1.8 billion by 2030. But many of the OECD countries, including Canada, are already losing market share because of the emergence of new tourism destinations in Asia, Middle East and other emerging markets.
The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) is an organisation, whose goal is to further the cause of the tourism industry and make Canada a preferred tourist destination. To this end, it works with private partners and engages customers with strategic marketing and messaging, to attract travelers to Canadian destinations. It formulates and implements strategies to address the new realities the industry faces in the world. As part of its strategic efforts for 2015-2019, it supports small and medium businesses with promotions and encourages the entrepreneurial and community ecosystem. The two main focus areas are travelers from high traffic destinations like India and China and the new youth segment. The CTC has changed its marketing strategy from a cost intensive high volume direct to consumer to low cost but effective digital marketing. The shift in consumer preference to mobiles and social media is aligned to this strategy and is helping provide travelers access to information and aiding in their decision making. The CTC is also building SME tools to help new product development to augment services in the tourism industry. The strategy has also helped in increasing awareness of Canadian destinations, helped facilitate the movement of travelers without compromising border security and build a pool of skilled resources to deliver exciting experiences to travelers in Canada.
References
Edgell Sr., David L. and Jason Swanson (2013). Tourism Policy and Planning: Yesterday,
Today, and Tomorrow (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge
OECD(2014). OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2014. OECD Publishing, Retrieved from:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/tour-2014-m
Tarlow P (2006). Some of the major current issues confronting tourism. Tourism and More, Retrieved from: http://www.tourismandmore.com/tidbits/some-of-the-major-current-issues-confronting-tourism/
