麻豆影视

Business

    • 'Trying not to die': Tourism operators face heavy debt, even as business roars back

    Views of Georgian Bay and the town Collingwood from the top of Blue Mountain on Thursday, June 30, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj) Views of Georgian Bay and the town Collingwood from the top of Blue Mountain on Thursday, June 30, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj)
    Share
    VANCOUVER -

    Maureen Gordon has weathered hard times before.

    She and her husband began running ecotourism outfit Maple Leaf Adventures out of Vancouver about a month before the 9/11 terrorist attacks devastated international travel in 2001.

    The rebound was relatively quick. Fallout from COVID-19 has proven much more prolonged.

    "The pandemic of course was incredibly tumultuous and scary, as it was, I think, for most tour businesses in Canada," said Gordon, who runs week-long sojourns on a schooner, converted tug boat and catamaran along the Pacific coast.

    "It was a really traumatic time. We couldn't operate at all through various government shutdowns," she recalled. "We were scared, our bank was scared."

    While 2022 was "incredible," as Canadians looking to expend pent-up energy surged back to domestic travel, 2023 saw a "hiccup" amid rising interest rates that dampened some sojourners' spirits.

    "Although the tourism industry -- in terms of interest in travel and booking -- is recovering, the businesses are really hurting," Gordon said. "I think all of us are carrying the highest debt loads we've ever had. Certainly we are.

    "We crossed the ocean out of our wrecked boat, and now ... we're all just trying not to die on the beach."

    Tourism has come roaring back from pandemic lows, but operators say the sector has yet to reach pre-COVID levels and debt remains a hefty burden for thousands of small businesses across the country.

    International visitor numbers remained down from four years earlier, with tourists from the U.S. at 85 per cent of 2019 levels and those from further afield at 78 per cent, according to Crown corporation Destination Canada.

    The industry brought in more than $109 billion in revenue last year, about four per cent more than in 2019 but significantly less in real terms after accounting for inflation, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

    Beth Potter, who heads the association, has called on the federal government to create a new low-interest loan program and temporary foreign worker stream, both specific to the tourism industry.

    "We have not had any kind of indication that we're going to see these," she noted. In fact, the government aims to reduce temporary residents' share of Canada's population over the next three years.

    The impact won't be "as extreme" in tourism as in agriculture or food processing, she said. But it will hit ski resorts as well as tourism-dependent areas such as Northern Canada and Niagara Falls, Ont.

    Travel, hospitality and recreation offerings are effectively a perishable commodity, which means it's especially hard to make back lost earnings.

    "If you don't book the hotel room tonight, you can't book that hotel room two times tomorrow night," said Potter.

    The sector's recovery continues to trail that of the broader business world. The number of active tourism-linked businesses sat slightly below pre-pandemic levels as of December, while the number of businesses overall surpassed 2019 figures, data from Destination Canada showed.

    Across all sectors, two in three small- and medium-sized enterprises still held pandemic debt at the end of last year, with an average of $107,700, according to a Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey of 3,148 members. Out of 14 sectors surveyed, operators in hospitality and transportation were among the most pessimistic about the coming year. Only retail scored worse.

    Ski operations and tourist hotspots such as the Okanagan Valley have had a particularly rough year.

    "We had winters that weren't winters for us," said Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada in a phone interview.

    "We were really impacted last year with climate change in terms, fire, drought, floods," she continued. "People were actually cancelling their travels to Canada because they were thinking that the whole country was on fire. Remember the smoke in New York?"

    While some tourism statistics for Canada's four largest cities -- Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary -- are now on track to overtake 2019 numbers, farther-flung parts of the country continue to struggle.

    "Regions a bit further away from those very big hubs had more difficulty to regain the momentum," the minister said. Business travel and conventions also continue to lag, she added.

    Regional transport has failed to bounce back as well, with domestic seat capacity at 84 per cent of 2019 levels as of the fourth quarter of 2023, according to Destination Canada. That can dent domestic travel and leisure markets.

    "If people want to go between Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland in the wintertime, when the ferry is not running, you'd have to fly to Toronto," said Potter, pointing to the deterrent.

    The minister cited pledges laid out in the federal budget to support tourism. The government has vowed to provide new funding to replace Via Rail's aging fleet on routes outside the corridor running between Quebec City and Windsor, Ont. -- an amount has not yet been specified due to an upcoming procurement process.

    Martinez Ferrada also highlighted $124 million for Atlantic ferry operations as well as investments in development opportunities in the North and for Indigenous tourism operations announced last year.

    While no new sector-specific loans are on the horizon, she framed the $2.5 billion in carbon rebates slated to land in small- and medium-sized businesses' bank accounts in the coming months as a financial buoy.

    Back in Vancouver, Gordon said the year looks promising, with some caveats.

    "Most people aren't 100 per cent confident in their projections," she said. "It's not a straight-line recovery 螕脟陋 We all feel that the market is really unpredictable right now.

    "People in our industry are pretty passionate about what they do and pretty determined. It's not a doom-and-gloom story," she reflected.

    "But it is a story of huge struggle -- and maybe some of it's unnecessary struggle -- and burden on a key industry that brings so much benefit to Canada and promotes our brand in the world."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2024.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    Canada

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      Conditions were warm early Monday and expected to remain that way for most of the day.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

    • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

    • LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • Maritimers will stop Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother鈥檚 death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday鈥檚 Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • People across Canada will pause to reflect Monday at Remembrance Day Ceremonies across the country.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • Watch Live

      Watch Live

      Barrie residents will gather on Monday to honour Canada鈥檚 veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视