Nouvelles de la cybercommunauté

Canadians teaching hospitality ahead of London Olympics

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:29:48 -0500

You can count Canadians' world-renowned politeness among this country's hottest export commodities, after organizers of the upcoming summer Olympics hired a B.C. organization to train Britons how to be as hospitable as we are. The B.C.-based training organization WorldHost helped bring workers up to speed ahead of the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver

Travel between Canada and other countries, March 2012

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:02:15 -0500

Canadian travel abroad declined 1.5% to 5.2 million trips in March compared with February. While overnight travel abroad increased, fewer same-day car trips to the United States resulted in an overall decrease. In total, Canadians made 2.6 million overnight trips outside the country in March, a 0.8% increase from February, and the highest monthly level since record keeping began in 1972. Overnight travel to the United States rose 0.7% from February as Canadian residents made 1

Southeast Regional College serves up education to Cowessess students

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:50:14 -0500

(Andrea Nicholl, The Grenfell Sun/Broadview Express) A partnership between Southeast Regional College, Cowessess First Nation and Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council has enhanced the skills of First Nation students eager to learn the academics of cooking and serving. Southeast Regional College received funding from Workplace Essential Skills Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Indian Training Assessment Group Inc. for the 12 week program which began on Feb. 21

2012 Indicators of Job Outlook for Meeting and Event Planners

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:23:36 -0500

(From Cvent blog, Event Planning) In an ongoing feature, Special Events magazine expresses optimism about growth prospects for event planners based on the increase in demand from temporary agencies. The Economy and the Special Event Industry What are some other indicators of prospects for event planners? Job Outlook for US Event Planners US Department of Labor April job numbers are a mixed bag

New Tourism Labour Supply and Demand Report Available Soon!

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:14:49 -0500

The CTHRC is pleased to announce that the report The Future of Canada’s Tourism Sector: Labour Shortages to Resurface as Labour Markets Tighten is undergoing final review and will be released on June 4th, 2012. This report outlines the implications of long-term demographic and economic trends on labour supply and demand in Canada’s tourism sector over the next twenty years. It also examines the short-term impacts of lower tourism demand

CTC announces new Rendez-Vous Canada event management contract

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:17:03 -0500

Canadian Tourism Commission business notice: Rendez-vous Canada event management. (From CTC News, 11 May, 2012) VANCOUVER, BC - — The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) is very pleased to announce that a new deal has been sealed to manage the future success of Rendez-vous Canada, CTC’s key international marketing and sales event for Canadian tourism businesses

Muskoka tourism on the rocks but gaining ground

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:13:47 -0500

(Jennifer Bowman, Cottage Country Now) A recovering economy and strong Canadian dollar took its toll on tourism last year. But Michael Lawley, executive director of Muskoka Tourism, said they are expecting very modest growth in 2012. “We’re seeing a long, slow recovery to get back to the pre-2008 levels of performance,” he said. “It’s going to be hard work for everybody.” The tourism industry accounts for 20 per cent of all jobs in Muskoka

Statistics: Full-time employment increases in April for second consective month

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:26:35 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 11 May, 2012) OTTAWA, On -- Employment increased by 58,000 in April, mostly in full-time work. This was the second consecutive month of notable gains after four months of little change. With more people searching for work, the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 7.3%. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment was up 1.2% or 214,000 . All of the growth over the 12 months was in full-time work, up 217,000 (+1

Statistics: Retail services prices increases in Q4 2011 contain mixed news for some tourism related retail industries

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:55:38 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada 10 May, 2012) OTTAWA, On -- The Retail Services Price Index ( RSPI ) rose 0.7% in the fourth quarter compared with the previous quarter. Chart 1 Retail Services Price Index Chart description: Retail Services Price Index CSV version of the chart General merchandise (+3.4%), food and beverage (+2.2% ), building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (+0.8%) and clothing and clothing accessories (+0

Study: Long-term outlook for Brazil rich with opportunities

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:48:48 -0500

(From CTC News, 2 May, 2012) VANCOUVER, BC -- Dynamic expanding economy and young population augur well for emerging South American tourism market, says CTC’s latest Global Tourism Watch report. Brazil has the makings of a winning formula (and not just for its soccer team)...

Staffing hotels with employees who care creates impeccable hospitality

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:25:37 -0500

High-level service is increasingly important as hoteliers acknowledge the valuable role customer service has to play in differentiating their brand in an increasingly crowded hotel landscape. Luxury properties are constantly improving relevance from a design perspective, and there’s little doubt some brands accomplish this better than others. However, there’s much homogeneity across this spectrum of comparison, many agree, and winners regularly trade the lead position

What is the Future for Canada as a Tourism Destination Brand?

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:22:19 -0500

[by Frederic Gonzalo] It’s that time of the year when both the USA and Canada put on their biggest trade shows to attract and convince international tour operators to feature more of their destination in their brochures and packages that, in turn, will be distributed to travel agents and the general public in countries such as France, Japan, UK, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, China and so on

TIANS Applauds Ferry Review

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:18:56 -0500

[the Yarmouth County Vanguard] TIANS applauds the recent announcement by the provincial government establishing an independent panel that will review existing studies on ferry service between Yarmouth and the United States. “Transportation infrastructure plays a critical role in Nova Scotia’s tourism industry

Statistics: Aircraft movements at Canadian airports continue decline in 2011

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:56:12 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 9 May, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- For the third year in a row, the number of aircraft take-offs and landings at Canadian airports with NAVCANADA air traffic control towers and flight service stations decreased compared with the previous year. These 93 airports reported almost 5.6 million movements in 2011, down 2.7% from 2010. Over 4.0 million itinerant movements (flights from one airport to another) were recorded in 2011. These airports handled 1

Statistics: Rising trend in average air fare continues in Q2 2011

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:47:14 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 19 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- Average domestic and international air fare (all types) rose 5.9% from $234.80 during the second quarter of 2010 to $248.60 in the same quarter of 2011. This marked the sixth consecutive year-over-year quarterly advance. The average domestic air fare (all types) paid by passengers was $195.80 in the second quarter, up 9.3% from $179.10 reported during the second quarter of 2010

International tourism generates US$1 trillion in receipts in 2011

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:30:34 -0500

Source: ©The Moodie Report By Dermot Davitt International tourism receipts continued to recover from the losses of crisis year 2009 and hit new records in most destinations in 2011, reaching an estimated US$1,030 billion worldwide, up from US$928 billion in 2010. It’s the first time that receipts have topped US$1 trillion in a year. The figures were released by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in its latest World Tourism Barometer

Alliance of Sector Councils warns of skilled worker shortage and urges educators to promote innovation in classrooms

Tue, 08 May 2012 07:23:31 -0500

[by Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun] Parents, here’s a depressing fact: you are your offspring’s worst enemy when it comes to helping them work out a career path. Recent research by a broad national alliance of employers ranging from commercial fishermen and grocers to steelworkers, police and engineers, indicates that the group is suffering a collective identity crisis — few people, neither parents nor students, have a clear understanding of Canada’s employment market

Statistics: EuropeanTourism Trends and Prospects Q1/2012 report released

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:29:54 -0500

(From Travel Impact News , 4 May, 2012) LUXEMBOURG -- The European Travel Commission (ETC) has just published its first quarterly report on European Tourism in 2012 – Trends & Prospects. Executive Summary (+) European travel has exhibited resiliency in the early part of 2012. Most reporting destinations have experienced growth in foreign visits and nights through the first two months of the year

Saudi Arabia to have 1.6 milllion tourism jobs by 2015

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:15:52 -0500

(From eTurboNews, 6 May, 2012) SAUDI ARABIA -- The Kingdom’s tourism sector will provide 1.6 million jobs by 2015, Prince Sultan bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), announced yesterday. Speaking to Minister of Economy and Planning, Muhammad Al-Jasser, the SCTA chief emphasized the need to activate the agreement between the two organizations to exchange information and coordinate national planning for the sector

Harper Government Announces Improvements to the Foreign Convention and Tour Incentive Program

Fri, 04 May 2012 14:23:15 -0500

Press Release: SUMMERSIDE, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND--(Marketwire - May 4, 2012) The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, today announced administrative improvements to the Foreign Convention and Tour Incentive Program (FCTIP) as part of the Harper Government's commitment to Canada's Federal Tourism Strategy . These changes will further secure Canada's place as a destination of choice for group travel

Study: Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating 2010 Data Release

Fri, 04 May 2012 10:07:48 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 4 May, 2012) OTTAWA, On -- The public use microdata file from the 2010 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating is now available. This file contains information collected from nearly 15,000 respondents aged 15 and over residing in private households in one of the provinces

Greater Toronto Hotel Association Introduces New Awards Program for Service Excellence

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:09:33 -0500

(From Hotelier Magazine.com, 2 May, 2012) TORONTO, On — Any hotelier will tell you it’s service excellence that steals the show. With that in mind, the Greater Toronto Hotel Association (GTHA) introduced a new awards program this year to recognize service excellence

Caterers to be licensed to serve alcohol

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:27:10 -0500

(From the Government of B.C. Newsroom) VICTORIA - B.C. is making it possible for caterers to obtain a liquor licence, enabling catering companies to fully meet the food and beverage needs of their clients. The new legislation, introduced today, will allow caterers to provide a wider range of services to their customers

Tourism group hoping to work with Parks Canada

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:54:48 -0500

CORNER BROOK — Darlene Thomas is hoping that Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador can work with Parks Canada to turn cuts in the national park system in this province into something positive. Thomas, the chair of the HNL board, said the tourism industry association was disappointed to hear Monday that some 1,000 Parks Canada employees across the country were told their jobs could be at risk. Forty-seven of those positions are located in the Western Newfoundland and Labrador Field Unit which includes, Gros Morne National Park, L’Anse aux Meadows, Port aux Choix, Red Bay and the Torngat Mountains National Park.

Hawaii hotel workers sue union over politcal use of dues money

Wed, 02 May 2012 10:45:19 -0500

(From eTurboNews, May 01, 2012) HONOLULU, Hawaii -- With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, two Honolulu Hilton employees have filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the UNITE HERE Local 5 union. Grant Suzuki and Daryl Sakugawa don’t belong to Local 5 but can still be forced to pay union dues and fees as a condition of employment, because Hawaii lacks a Right to Work law

Parks Canada seeks private operators for mountain hot springs

Wed, 02 May 2012 10:42:59 -0500

By Amanda Stephenson and Cathy Ellis, Postmedia News CALGARY — Three of Parks Canada's most iconic attractions soon could be in the hands of a private operator. The federal agency — which has been hard hit in the latest round of federal public service cuts announced this week — plans to invite private-sector proposals to take over operation of the Canadian Rockies Hot Springs, which includes the hot pools in Banff, Jasper and Radium, B.C

Small business confidence dips in April, but hiring plans stronger than last year: CFIB

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:41:37 -0500

(From Canadian HR Reporter) Small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) were a little less optimistic in April compared with the month before, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). A 1.3-point drop in CFIB's Business Barometer Index to 66.4 gave back most of the big gains seen in the March survey findings. But it is the second-best reading for the year and the first decline registered in the index since August 2011

Restaurateurs applaud improvements to Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:12:15 -0500

CRFA Press release April 30, 2012 TORONTO -- Canada’s restaurant industry welcomes two changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program that will cut red tape for many employers facing labour shortages. The changes introduced last week by Minister Diane Finley are designed to improve efficiency while maintaining the integrity of the program

Publication: Release of May 2012 Education Matters: Insights on Education Learning and Training in Canada

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:13:08 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 1 May, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- The May 2012 issue of Education Matters: Insights on Education, Learning and Training in Canada contains three articles

B.C.'s minimum wage rises to $10.25

Tue, 01 May 2012 13:43:37 -0500

CBC News--Posted: May 1, 2012 8:55 AM PT Minimum wage for those serving alcohol still $9 B.C.’s minimum wage jumps to $10.25 an hour on Tuesday, matching Ontario's as the second highest in Canada. The 75-cent hike is the last stage of a three-stage increase announced by Premier Christy Clark after she was sworn in March of 2011. The wage had been frozen at $8 for nearly a decade prior to the increase

Stampede centennial heats up optimism for summer tourism

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:39:31 -0500

(by Amanda Stephenson, Calgary Herald) "Yahoo!” may be the unofficial catchphrase of the Calgary Stampede, but don’t be surprised if you hear a few local tourism operators let it slip this summer as well. With the 100th anniversary of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth set to capture national and international attention in July, Calgary’s tourism industry is anticipating what it hopes will be a banner year

Courtyard by Marriott Transformation hits 500 milestone

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:34:55 -0500

(from Travel Daily News) Courtyard by Marriott believes business travelers deserve options in their travel as well as a contemporary and smart place to recharge

OTEC works with Metis Nation of Ontario

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:49:01 -0500

From Canadian Lodging News, April 2012 Issue TORONTO—When the world watched the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, their awareness of Canada’s First Nations groups changed forever. Those ceremonies guaranteed that visitors to Canada would anticipate and seek opportunities to explore First Nations culture

P & O Cruises withholds passengers' tips

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:40:49 -0500

(From eTurboNews, Apr 29, 2012), LONDON, UK -- Crew on British cruise holidays who are paid a basic salary of as little as 75p an hour face having extra tips from passengers withheld unless they hit performance targets. The boss of P&O Cruises said the move was part of a package to "make crew more responsive" and offer protection as tips dry up in the economic downturn

Statistics: Sales remain stable in food services and drinking places industry in February

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:39:43 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 30 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- Sales for the food services and drinking places industry were relatively stable in February from January, edging up 0.1% to $4.3 billion. During the same period, the price of food purchased in restaurants edged up 0.1%, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. In February, two of the four industry sectors posted higher sales compared with January: the special food services sector (+0

Statistics: Real gross domestic product declines in Februrary 2012

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:30:46 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 30 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- Real gross domestic product declined 0.2% in February . Temporary closures in mining and other goods-producing industries contributed to the decline. Decreases in mining and oil and gas extraction, manufacturing, utilities as well as forestry and logging outpaced advances in construction

Green Globe Certification introduces mobile Android app

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:28:07 -0500

(From eTurboNews, 26 April, 2012) LOS ANGELES, California - Green Globe Certification today introduced its Green Globe App for Android mobile devices. The App for Android can be downloaded for free at Google Play (category Travel & Local), and http://www.greenglobe.com/ . So far the App has only been available for Apple iPads, iPhones, and iPods

Asia Cruise Academy opens in Shanghai

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:25:18 -0500

(From eTurboNews, Apr 26, 2012) SHANGHAI - Asia Cruise Academy, China's first of the kind, was unveiled in Shanghai in a bid to train talents for the country's cruise industry. The academy, also Asia's first, is a result of cooperation made by Shanghai Maritime University (SMU), British Seatrade Group and the Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd

Statistics: 2011 real gross domestic product (GDP) by industry increased 2.6% nationally in 2011

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:16:42 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 27 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- In 2011, real gross domestic product ( GDP ) by industry increased in every province and territory except the Northwest Territories. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon and Nunavut had the fastest growth in the country owing to exploration, mining and related construction activities. Nationally, real GDP rose 2.6% in 2011 after increasing 3.4% in 2010

CLIA calls for industry to elevate role of agents

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:07:25 -0500

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has introduced a new report calling for a travel-industry dialogue aimed at elevating the role of the travel agent industry, a critical sales force for the entire travel and tourism industry

Statistics:Average weekly earnings rise in February on a monthly and YOY basis

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:01:31 -0500

(From The Daily, Statistics Canada, 26 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- In February, average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees were $886.45, up 0.2% from the previous month. On a year-over-year basis, earnings rose 1.8%. Chart 1 Year-over-year change in average weekly hours and average weekly earnings Chart description: Year-over-year change in average weekly hours and average weekly earnings CSV version of the chart The 1

Canadians among most satisfied employees in the world: Survey

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:07:50 -0500

(From Canadian HR Reporter) Job security, flexibility contributing to high satisfaction levels One out of three Canadians are very satisfied with their current employer, placing Canadians amongst the highest employee satisfaction levels reported globally, according to the Randstad's latest Global Workmonitor. Canadian employees ranked the highest amongst the 14 non-European countries surveyed, as nearly one in three (31 per cent) report to be: "very satisfied''

Statistics: Preliminary data show 8% rise in year-over-year operating revenue of top ten Canadian urban transit companies

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:12:35 -0500

(Excerpt from The Daily, Statistics Canada, 24 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON --Total operating revenue (excluding subsidies) for 10 of Canada's largest urban transit properties rose 8.1% from February 2011 to $255.2 million in February. These 10 companies represent about 80% of total urban transit activity across the country. Over the same period, ridership levels rose 4.0% to 133.6 million passenger

Study: Job-related training of older workers, 2008

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:55:00 -0500

(Excerpt from The Daily, Statistics Canada, 20 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- Older workers in 2008 were significantly less likely to participate in job-related training than their counterparts in the core working-age population. Overall, younger employees reported receiving more job-related training than their older counterparts . In the year from July 2007 to June 2008, 45% of workers aged 25 to 54 took at least one job-related course or program, compared with 32% of those aged 55 to 64

Ottawa looks to unemployed Canadians to fill labour shortages

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:15:20 -0500

Ottawa is preparing to tackle one of the country’s most sensitive labour questions: Why won’t healthy, unemployed Canadians get their hands dirty? The Conservative government is preparing legislative and policy changes that, for the first time, will link the federal Employment Insurance program to the Temporary Foreign Worker program

Study: CRFA releases 2012 Canadian Chef Survey: "Local" remains hottest menu item for third straight year

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:10:48 -0500

TORONTO , April 12, 2012 /CNW/ - Local, sustainable and gluten-free reign supreme on Canadian restaurant menus for 2012. More than 300 professional chefs identified what's hot in the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association's (CRFA's) third annual Canadian Chef Survey, conducted by independent market research firm BrandSpark International

Statistics: Rise in inbound and outbound travel in February

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:50:36 -0500

(Excerpt from The Daily, Statistics Canada, 19 April, 2012) OTTAWA -- Canadian residents made 5.2 million trips abroad in February, a 3.9% increase from January. The majority of these trips, 4.4 million, were to the United States, a 4.5% increase. The main factor behind these gains was an 8.0% increase in same-day car travel by Canadians to the United States, to 2.6 million trips. This was the highest monthly level since December 1997...

Statistics: Employment insurance beneficiaries and claims both down in February

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:45:33 -0500

(Excerpt from The Daily, Statistics Canada, 19 April, 2012) OTTAWA, ON -- In February, the number of people receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits fell by 6,700 (-1.2%) to 552,800. The number of beneficiaries fell in six provinces, with the largest percentage declines occurring in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec...

Participants needed for Reservation Sales Agent certification project

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:44:57 -0500

The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC), in collaboration with provincial and territorial partners, is currently updating the emerit Reservation Sales Agent certification exam to ensure it accurately reflects the expectations of the industry. For the final phase of the project we are recruiting a pan-Canadian committee of RSAs with 2+ years experience to participate in a validation meeting in Ottawa, May 14 – 16, 2012.

Canadian restaurant sales hit all-time high in 2011

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:09:14 -0500

(From the Financial Post -- Hollie Shaw, Apr 17, 2012) Canadians visited more burger bars in 2011 and that could mean a revival of social visits at restaurants after years of frugality, according to market research firm NPD Group . Canadians made over 6.6-billion visits to restaurants and other foodservice outlets during the year, NPD said, and sales rose 4% to an all-time high of $47.6 billion