Destination Toronto says new offices in Germany, U.K. yielding results
CBC
A push to bring more international visitors to Toronto is paying off, according to Destination Toronto.
The organization, which tracks and promotes tourism, opened two international offices back in June in Germany and the U.K., and it's already noticing an uptick in visits from those areas since the launch.
"We've seen growth in the U.K. market by 11 per cent in terms of the visitors coming, and seven per cent when we look at the German market," said Kelly Jackson, vice president of destination development at Destination Toronto.
Destination Toronto says Canada is having a moment on the world stage, and more people seem to be interested in visiting, so they're seizing the opportunity, and planting roots for continued growth.
"The work we're doing is long-term work," Jackson said. "We go somewhere, and we start those relationships, and we build on them by expanding our on the ground presence."
Jackson says Destination Toronto is expecting to see that growth continue in the future, especially with Toronto being one of the host cities for the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
"When Destination Toronto opened their office in June, that was around the time for clients to start planning their trips in 2026," said Vicki Reid, Jonview Canada's president of sales and operations. The company provides travel products and services to tour operators and works with Destination Toronto.
"From our point of view it helps when you have a representative in the market to push the destination," she said.
Reid says up-and-coming markets to tap into on their radar include Mexico and China.
At Chelsea Hotel Toronto, staff there say business is also benefiting from the increase in Canadians exploring their own backyards.
Christopher Ashby, director of commercial operations at the hotel, said it broke revenue records this summer that dated back to 2018.
"The demand for travel within Canada is spiking for all kinds of reasons and we've been the recipient of the benefit of that travel increase," he said, adding 80 per cent of the hotel's clients are from within Canada.
When it comes to that international boost, Ashby notes an overall increase in European travellers, and specifically a 45 per cent increase in visitors from the U.K. so far this year.
"I think people select Toronto as a destination because of the diversity it offers," he said.
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