Canadian Tourism Research Articles

Social justice in tourism recovery: examining equity, diversity, and inclusion in Canadian tourism restart policies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the incorporation, prioritization and depth of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives in tourism industry restart policies of Canadian provinces and territories. This study investigates how the detailing of EDI in policies determine the priority in emancipating tourism workers from the inequities exacerbated during the pandemic. Such investigation enables a better understanding of the complexities, tendencies and rationale of involving EDI in the tourism industry’s recovery. Design/methodology/approach The research investigated the presence and prioritization of equity, diversity, and inclusion using systematic text analytics of 38 publicly available restart plans and statements from 52 government and non-government agencies. Using web-based software Voyant Tools to assist in text analytics, a hybrid deductive-inductive coding approach was conducted. Findings Key outcomes from the analysis revealed scarce to no full and dedicated content on EDI as a holistic initiative necessary for tourism industry relaunch. This lack of EDI content was a result of the greater impetus to prioritize economic generation and limited data due to practical and ideological issues. Results also suggested the tokenizing of EDI in some policies. Research limitations/implications Difficulties in data used for research include the lack and availability of restart policies specifically for tourism; most policies were generalized and referred to economic recovery as a whole. Studies of tourism-specific EDI issues were also limited. Originality The research is revelatory for investigating EDI prioritizations in restart policies even among well-developed and worker-diverse tourism industries such as in Canada, where inequities and injustices to women, Black, Indigenous, gender-diverse, and newcomer tourism workers among others have been withstanding.

The Canadian tourism satellite account

La medición del impacto económico del turismo es de vital importancia tanto para los poderes públicos como para el propio sector turístico. En Canadá la creación de una Cuenta Satélite de Turismo (en pocas palabras, un instrumento que utiliza principios contables ya aplicados a los ingresos nacionales para la medición de la relevancia económica de la actividad turística a fin de poder compararla de forma creíble, como "industria", con otros sectores económicos de Canadá) es un primer paso importante para mejorar las técnicas de medición. Esta presentación es un resumen del enfoque adoptado, los conceptos básicos utilizados, los retos metodológicos, los resultados obtenidos y su empleo.

Globalizing Hainan Tourism Products: Lessons from Canadian Tourism Operations Management

Globalizing Hainan Tourism Products: Lessons from Canadian Tourism Operations Management

From unlikely to likely partnerships for change - child welfare and Indigenous tourism in Canada

The Indigenous tourism sector in Canada is rapidly developing. However, Indigenous communities are challenged by the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system. This multidisciplinary paper explores the intersection of child welfare and Indigenous tourism in Canada, specifically, by examining the role of Indigenous tourism in contributing to the welfare of Indigenous children in their communities. This paper reviewed grey Canadian tourism literature and analysed whether the industry is publicly acknowledging child welfare in their public discourse. Results indicate that Canadian tourism associations are not addressing child welfare in their public facing documents. Applying complexity theory as a lens, this paper discusses how this unlikely partnership between the child welfare and Indigenous tourism industry is critical in increasing the benefits of tourism, while intentionally finding ways to reduce the risks, particularly to children. This article concludes with recommendations on how this unlikely partnership can be fostered to become a likely partnership.

An Inter-Comparison of the Holiday Climate Index (HCI:Beach) and the Tourism Climate Index (TCI) to Explain Canadian Tourism Arrivals to the Caribbean

Through an empirical investigation of the historical relationship between the destination climate and tourist arrivals in the Caribbean, this study presents the first revealed preference evaluation of a climate index informed by tourists’ stated climatic preferences for coastal-beach tourism (i.e., a sun-sand-surf or 3S travel market). The goal of this multi-organization collaboration was to examine the potential application of a newly designed climate index—the Holiday Climate Index (HCI):Beach—for three Caribbean destinations (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia). This paper provides an overview of the evolution of climate indices, including the development of the (HCI):Beach. To test the validity of climate indices for a beach travel market, daily climate ratings based on outputs from the Tourism Climate Index and the HCI were correlated with monthly arrivals data from Canada (a key source market) at an island destination scale. The results underscore the strength of the new index, with each destination scoring consistently higher using the HCI:Beach, including a stronger relationship (R2) between index scores and tourist arrivals. These findings demonstrate the value of combining stated and revealed preference methodologies to predict tourism demand and highlight opportunities for future research.

The role of cultural difference and travel motivation in event participation

Purpose Using a cross-cultural perspective, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of cultural difference and travel motivation on event participation and how cultural difference may influence the relationship between travel motivation and event participation. The paper highlights the importance of culture in tourism research. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted by using a secondary data set (n=24,692) commissioned by Destination Canada (formerly the Canadian Tourism Commission). Both descriptive statistics (e.g. frequency analysis) and inferential statistics (e.g. hierarchical regressions) were calculated. Findings First of all, the results indicated that travel motivations and cultural difference can impact event participation. For example, those who were more motivated by knowledge and competence (e.g. knowing history and culture) were more likely to participate in art festivals and cultural events. Also, the research recognized that Asian-Canadians were more likely to visit ethnic or religious festivals than Anglo-Canadians, whereas Asian-Canadians were less likely to attend farmers’ market in comparison with Anglo-Canadians. Last, the effect of cultural difference can moderate the relationship between travel motivation and event participation. Originality/value These findings emphasize that travel motivations and cultural difference are key factors to be considered for festivals’ marketing. Particularly, the moderating effect of cultural difference reinforces that the important role played by culture for effective festival marketing should not be ignored. The research also provides valuable insights for destination managers who are interested in Asian markets. Moreover, using a secondary data set prepared by the Canadian Government largely increased the results’ representativeness, trustworthiness, and generalizability.

Picture it: The Use of Food-Related Images in Tourism Visitor's Guides

Culinary tourism has become an important means of attracting quality visitors for many destinations. As tourism destination marketers develop the brands and associated promotional material through which to communicate with potential visitors, the need to identify ways to differentiation their place brand vis-à-vis the place brand of other tourism destinations becomes paramount. One way to engage potential visitors via tourism promotional material is through the use of images. By examining the food-related imagery used by specific Canadian tourism destinations, the increased focus on culinary tourism and the evolution of the use of imagery can be seen more clearly. This study offers a contribution to tourism research by examining the evolution of culinary tourism promotion in three geographically-linked regions through the use of food-related imagery in their tourism visitor's guides. The findings of this study can also offer valuable information to tourism industry stakeholders who have identified culinary tourism as a priority and want to further develop their positioning, differentiation, and marketing strategies using food-related imagery.

MULTICULTURAL COMPONENT IN THE SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGERS IN CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES: EXPERIENCE FOR UKRAINE

The article deals with tourism and hospitality managers’ professional training in Canada. The authors analyse the scientific and pedagogical literature which highlights different aspects of the problem of multicultural component in the system of professional training of tourism and hospitality managers. The research methodology comprises theoretical and applied methods (bibliographical method, analysis and systematisation, content analysis, statistical analysis, synthesis and comparative analysis, mathematical method). The development of tourism and hospitality managers’ professional training is outlined and the emergence of the need for its multicultural component formation is specified. The analysis of tourism occupational standards made it possible to distinguish the knowledge, skills and professional values of tourism and hospitality managers. The formation of the multicultural component, the content, objectives, and priorities of multicultural training are based on three main principles of multicultural education: accessibility, equal opportunities, diversity. The article describes the theoretical and applied elements of multicultural component formation as well as basic forms of organisation: the development of special courses, including additional content elements in curricula and academic programmes, the use of innovative forms and methods of training. The proposals for possible ways to adapt Canadian tourism and hospitality managers’ professional training experience in Ukraine are developed.

Canadian Sociology and Tourism: Issues of Representation

Canadian Sociology and Tourism: Issues of Representation

Establishing the routes to rural in‐migrant proprietorship in a Canadian tourism region: A mobilities perspective

AbstractThis article contributes to the ongoing conversation about in‐migration and rural economic change in the mobility era. It addresses the question: do rural in‐migrants' routes to proprietorship differ in developing tourism destinations? To answer this query, we analyse the migration movement, and postmovement performances, of rural Newfoundland and Labrador's in‐migrant tourism operators. We identify the dominant incoming groups (resident and seasonal counterurbanites and lateral migrants) and major destination choice motivations (family, amenity, and economics). We describe the business activities of in‐migrants' postmovement lives (early‐ and late‐stage) and the reasons for business operation (economic and noneconomic). By combining this movement and performance information, we uncover 12 business trajectories and new firm types. We find that counterurbanite and lateral migrant paths, and business types, differ, supporting the inclusion of both cohorts in future research. Our findings confirm and extend extant literature on rural in‐migration and tourism and reify the fluid relationship between movement and place in the mobility era.

The path to embed sustainability in Canadian tourism companies

PurposeThis paper aims to determine a uniquely Canadian training path for tourism companies to follow to embed sustainable tourism practices in their companies.Design/methodology/approachThe foundation of this paper was laid by conducting in-depth executive interviews with leading tourism companies in Canada. Based on the interviews, an eight-question survey was developed and sent to 22 Canadian tourism companies with a response rate of 36 per cent. The results of best practice research conducted in the UK and Ireland were considered in relation to implementation in Canada.FindingsThis paper suggests a Canadian process and key concepts to consider for embedding sustainability in tourism companies.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a practical training process, geared for Canadian tourism companies, that embeds sustainability in all divisions of the company. A step-by-step process is described that all tourism companies, no matter their size, can use to embed sustainability.Originality/valueThis paper draws upon the author’s experience in working with Canadian tourism companies and incorporates best practices shared in a partnership with The Travel Foundation. As the paper represents both original research and industry best practice, it is of interest to academics, tourism training centres and tourism companies in Canada. Learning an effective and efficient process developed specifically for Canadian tourism companies will allow companies to economically embed sustainability and ultimately create a unique market position for the company.

Human resource management impacts on labour productivity in tourism

This article presents the first multivariate analysis of the Human Resource Module (HRM) of the Canadian Tourism Satellite Account. Annual labour productivity is calculated for six tourism industries using the National Tourism Indicators and the HRM. The impact of various labour force characteristics on labour productivity is measured through the estimation of an econometric model. Labour productivity is found to increase with the capital labour ratio, the proportion of part-time hours, the share of hours supplied by women, the proportion of immigrant workers and the proportion of the most experienced workers.

Canada by Photograph: Instructed Looking and Tourism of the Late Nineteenth-century Canadian Landscape

The view book found a prominent place in the nineteenth century, a period when the newly minted railroad opened up the country for personal exploration. Photographically dominant, relatively inexpensive, and easily reproduced, these publications had the ability to guide tourists visually through the landscapes they traversed, as well as to bring distant landscapes to those who could not afford the time or price of venturing there in person. This study of the inclusion and use of photography in nineteenth-century publications highlights a key moment in the history of Canadian tourism when travellers and readers were becoming photographically literate and, further still, were being instructed about how to view and understand place through the photographic image.

Patterns and organization of Japanese tourism in Canada: 1960–2010

AbstractThe tourism production chain is utilized to understand the major periods of emergence, growth, and decline of Japanese tourism in Canada. Interviews with personnel at airline companies, tour operators, and hotels indicate the salient features of the Japan‐Canada tourist production chain, as well as the spatial patterns of tourism circuits over the 1960–2010 period. The article argues that by the end of the study period the tourism production chain had split into two markets, comprising group tours and free independent travellers. The spatial pattern of Japanese tourists had broadened somewhat but continued to focus on the “8‐day dash,” a tour circuit involving travel across Canada to visit Niagara Falls, Banff in the Rockies, and Vancouver. To promote Canada to Japanese tourists, this analysis underscores the need to involve the Canadian Tourism Commission, provincial agencies, Air Canada, and local governments together in a “team Canada” approach, as well as including Japanese tour operators.

Presenting Canada to the Scientific Gaze: TheHandbook for the Dominion of Canadaand the Eccentricity of Science Tourism

Abstract:In 1884, the Handbook for the Dominion of Canada was produced by the Montreal organizing committee for the first-ever meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science to be held outside of the British Isles. At first glance, the Handbook resembles present-day tourist guides in that it separates the country into sections, provides historical and natural historical descriptions for each, and identifies major sights. Yet its style blends scientific and bureaucratic diction, it is almost completely shorn of affective qualities, it contains few illustrations but an excess of statistical and scientific information, and it proposes what would seem to us to be erratic itineraries through places such as mines, mental asylums, factories, or waterworks. This article uses the Handbook to think about tourist handbooks as forms of middlebrow mediation of touristic experience that draw heavily on the emergence of bureaucratic and scientific diction to establish their cultural authority. It questions conventional constructions of nineteenth-century Canadian tourism in terms of the Romantic desire for the untamed, the exotic, and the sublime. Furthermore, it suggests that the Handbook was written in hopes of enrolling the visiting British scientists into a larger project of encouraging British immigration to Canada.

Hitchin’ a Ride in the 1970s: Canadian Youth Culture and the Romance with Mobility

Today, a “gap year” is regarded as an excellent opportunity for a young person to travel for his or her personal growth. However, in the 1970s, civil society saw dropping out of school or work and drifting around as the sign of youth alienation and crazy hippie ideas. In 1969, the Trudeau government struck a task force to investigate why thousands of middle-class young people were observed hitchhiking along the Trans-Canada Highway. This article looks at the federal government’s reaction to the “transient youth” subculture through the lens of what hitchhiking meant to restless teenagers and twenty-somethings. In the early 1970s, Canadian thumb-travellers subverted hegemonic class and gender expectations by putting a new twist on the rituals associated with traditional Canadian tourism. By self-consciously adorning themselves with backpacks, beads, Canada flags, and long bushy hair or by flipping a peace sign to oncoming traffic, they performed rituals of a romantic subculture. Then, as now, their road stories highlight more than the monotonous and carnivalesque moments of alternative travel; they can be read as key biographical moments when understandings of landscapes, national identity, and citizenship were formed.

An early effort in cultural diplomacy: The Canadian Co-operation Project and Canadian tourism

The Canadian Co-operation Project (CCP) was one of the more unusual episodes in the economic and cultural relationship of Canada and the United States. Conceived between the federal government and the Hollywood film industry, the 1948 agreement called on Hollywood to produce more films in Canada and to make efforts to promote American tourism in Canada. The paper argues that the CCP was less the surrender to Hollywood than is generally understood and more an early example of cultural diplomacy in which the Canadian government used cultural relations with the United States for its own ends, primarily the promotion of tourism in Canada.

Trends and sustainability in the Canadian tourism and hospitality industry

PurposeThis paper aims to address the key sustainability issues in Canada's tourism and hospitality industry.Design/methodology/approachThe foundation for this paper was laid during a well attended Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) roundtable discussion between industry leaders and hospitality educators in May 2012.FindingsThe paper provides valuable information on the concept of sustainable development and outlines key sustainability issues and trends in the Canadian tourism and hospitality industry. The umbrella organization for the hotel industry in Canada, the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), collaborates with key stakeholders to find innovative and sustainable solutions to challenges the industry is facing. Top future trends are captured in the conclusion.Practical implicationsAs the team of authors includes the president of the Hotel Association of Canada and a partner/Canada's national leader of the sustainability practice in the world's largest consulting firm, this paper will be of immense value to students, educators, researchers and industry leaders. Supports two innovative economic options to boost Canada's tourism marketing – reinvesting a portion of international visitor's GST and charging an international visitor arrival levy.Originality/valueThe paper draws on sustainability theories and best practices in Canada to explain the role of innovation in facing challenges in the tourism and hospitality industry in Canada. As the team of authors represents both the industry and academia, this paper will be of immense value to students, educators, and researchers, as well as practitioners.

A “Civilizing” Industry: Leo Dolan, Canadian Tourism Promotion, and the Celebration of Mass Culture

Scholarship examining public pronouncements on “mass culture” in Canada during the post-World War Two period has focused overwhelmingly on the pessimistic voices of the cultural critics who feared mass culture's deleterious effects upon national identity, democracy, and intellectual freedom. A more accurate understanding of the extent to which mass culture was contested terrain in post-war Canada requires an analysis of the optimistic pronouncements offered by business leaders and government officials. This article examines the rhetoric of Canada's leading post-war tourism promoter, Leo Dolan, and highlights the extent to which he viewed mass culture as a positive force that could achieve many of the same ends that the cultural critics endorsed. While cultural critics saw mass culture as a barrier to progress, Leo Dolan and other tourism promoters in North America championed tourism as an element of mass culture that would facilitate international understanding, strengthen national unity, and contribute to Western civilization.

Chinese Perceptions of Seven Long-Haul Holiday Destinations: Focusing on Activities, Knowledge, and Interest

This study analyzes Chinese views of seven selected long-haul holiday destinations using secondary data from the 2008 China survey of the Global Tourism Watch market research program commissioned by the Canadian Tourism Commission. Results indicate that Mainland Chinese travelers considered “culture” and “nature”the most important activity/experience factors when considering taking a long-haul holiday trip. Further, findings indicate that there are significant differences in Mainland Chinese travelers' perceptions toward the long-haul holiday destinations regarding the best travel activities/experiences, knowledge about holiday opportunities, and interest in visiting each of the destinations in the next two years. This study demonstrates the competitiveness of the seven destinations and suggests destination or product differentiation strategies to increase consumer awareness and attract more Mainland Chinese travelers.