Tourism Opportunities Forum

Attracting and retaining young people is a critical priority for Ontario’s tourism sector. Building a strong, resilient workforce requires earlier exposure to tourism careers and stronger connections between industry, education and communities.   myBlueprint is a Canadian education technology company founded in 2005, originating from a research project developed in a family basement. The organization has grown into a national platform shaped by continuous feedback from educators and stakeholders. It operates with a small, mission‑driven team that emphasizes innovation, exceptional support, strong partnerships, and student privacy.

The company serves 360+ school boards, 6,570+ schools, and over 1,000,000 users across Canada, delivering curriculum‑aligned planning tools tailored to provincial needs. myBlueprint highlights its gratitude for nationwide support and maintains a strong commitment to creating impactful, enjoyable products.

TIAO, Tourism HR Canada and myBlueprint through the skillsthattravel.ca project reached some huge milestones in this past year, and this is a key partnership to educate, support and showcase options for youth in the workforce considering Tourism as an option and seeking to join our industry.

Join to learn, and engage in how your tourism operation, your community can engage with local school boards and digitally to connect options for workplace integrated learning, coops, part time | full time jobs, and opportunities to engage with schools, applicants, operators within your own community in a place where they are already looking.

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), in partnership with the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA), released the Ontario Colleges Survey: Evaluating the Impact of Recent Policy Change on Culinary, Tourism, and Hospitality Programming. Based on a survey of of culinary, tourism, and hospitality colleges across the province, this report provides valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities that are facing the tourism talent pipeline. Survey findings point to a convergence of pressures: Identifying 6 key areas and concluding with several recommendations aimed at strengthening the tourism workforce, including direct support for culinary, tourism, and hospitality programs and additional resources to drive work-integrated learning across the sector. Together, these recommendations promise to expand training opportunities for domestic and international students interested in tourism careers.

TIAO and ORHMA are taking these findings forward through meetings with the Ministry over the summer, at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference, and in the lead-up to Ontario’s 2027 pre-budget consultations. Review of the report and updates from summer meetings so far as we look ahead into the Fall & Winter seasons with a changing workforce pipeline.

Tourism Simcoe County is committed to advancing sustainable tourism through the implementation of its Destination Stewardship Plan, which positions sustainability as a foundational element of destination development and management. Working in collaboration with Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7), Tourism Simcoe County actively supports tourism operators and stakeholders in adopting sustainable practices that enhance environmental responsibility, community well-being, and long-term economic prosperity.

Building on this commitment, Tourism Simcoe County participated in the Synergy Academy Destination Management Organization Sustainability Course in Spring 2026. As a result of this engagement, Tourism Simcoe County is now partnering with Synergy Enterprises to develop a comprehensive Festivals and Events Sustainability Program designed to drive measurable and lasting sustainability improvements across the County's vibrant events sector.

The program will provide practical tools, resources, and capacity-building opportunities for festival and event organizers, including the development of industry best practices, a three-part sustainability training series, and the introduction of a dedicated sustainability stream within the 2027 Experience Simcoe County Partnership Fund. These initiatives will equip organizers with the knowledge and support needed to reduce environmental impacts, strengthen community connections, and improve operational resilience.

By establishing a scalable framework for sustainable event management, Tourism Simcoe County aims to create tangible, region-wide impacts while positioning Simcoe County festivals and events as leaders in responsible tourism. If successful, the program will serve as a model for future sustainability initiatives across other tourism sectors throughout Simcoe County.

An important reason to address workload management is related to burnout.  At its core, burnout is caused by work that demands continuous, long-term physical, cognitive or emotional effort.  It is recognized by the World Health Organization as a syndrome.  Its symptoms are physical and emotional and include feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from and feelings of negativity or cynicism towards one’s job; and a reduced ability to do one’s work.

Addressing workload management issues may significantly reduce feelings of burnout and provide space for restoration and recovery.  In addition, creating a psychologically safe environment for employees to speak to their managers about potential workload management issues can help to avoid burnout by addressing issues in advance.