WELCOMING INVESTORS: - Ministry of Tourism - Ontario.ca

Ontario’s Tourism PotentialAs a tourist destination, Ontario offers a diverse rangeof experiences: four distinct seasons, abundantwilderness, vibrant arts, cultural and sporting events,and world class attractions. The province is easilyaccessible internationally and boasts a remarkablecultural diversity unique in the world.Welcoming over 104 million visitors in 2011, Ontario’stourism sector generated $23 billion in annual revenuesand supported over 300,000 jobs. Despite globaleconomic challenges, the industry continues togrow with preliminary results indicating that visitorsto Ontario spent more in 2011 ($18 billion) than in theprevious year ($17.1 billion).The Canada brand is strong and internationally recognizedfor providing quality visitor experiences.Supporting that quality experience is a well establishedtourism trade, a talented workforce, extensive industrytraining opportunities and excellent infrastructure.Working within the province’s 13 Regional TourismOrganizations, Ontario’s tourism partners developcoordinated approaches to regional tourism planning,product development, marketing and investmentattraction. This collaborative approach maximizesresources, strengthens marketing efforts and encouragesmore strategic planning and investment.The government is committed to workingclosely with industry partners to build a stronger,more competitive tourism industry in Ontario.It continues to be an active partner in the sector’ssuccess, recognizing tourism as an importanteconomic driver and encouraging its growth.“Skyline Investments is a leading private sector investor in hotel and destination resortdevelopments in Ontario. Since 2008, the company has invested in hotels, resorts and destinationcommunity properties valued at over $315 million and employing more than 1,500 Ontarians.Skyline’s future plans call for continued investment and job creation in Ontario’s tourism sector.”Michael Sneyd, CEO, Skyline International Development Inc.Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada isscheduled to open in Toronto in2013. This $130 million state-of-theartaquarium will create 300 jobsand will have a projected annualeconomic impact of more than$35 million on GDP. 2► Proposed Ripley’s Aquarium, Toronto“Toronto is a world class city and we arebuilding a world class aquarium.”Jim Pattison Jr.,President of Ripley Entertainment Inc.WELCOMING INVESTORS: A Tourism Investment Attraction Strategy for Ontario5.