Photo by Connie Calvert
A new report says it could take two more years for the tourism industry in Ontario to recover from the pandemic.
Gerry Cariou is executive director of the Sunset Country Travel Association and says they are working hard to bring back tourists to the region.
“We have a lot of work to do. I think it’s important we stay positive and that we really see the upside of what we have now as you can lament over what happened and questioned what happened but its happened. From our point of view as an Association we’re moving forward and hopefully try and do everything we can to make that recovery happen.
The report says tourism revenue is 64% of what it was before the pandemic and seven in 10 tourism based businesses had to take on debt to stay afloat.
Cariou says the key is bringing back our American tourists.
“Canada is such a to an American angler, hunter, outdoors person, it’s a bucket list trip and for many they are coming two times a year. Hopefully we get those people back to do that. We’ve had some interesting responses on social, ‘I’ll be coming up a lot.’ You know that type of thing.”
