Retrospective 2023 at Touriscope

Sustainability at the heart of everything

In Quebec, since the announcement of the action plan for sustainable and responsible tourism by the Quebec Ministry of Tourism, the tourism sector is called upon to rethink its practices and reinvent its model. Indeed, the importance of sustainable development has never been stronger, laying the foundations for a profound transformation in the way we see, experience and value our destinations. This initiative has opened the way for collective reflection in the industry on the environmental and social impact of tourism.

Challenges that are still present

2023 was marked by an increase in extreme weather events, which is not without consequences for the tourism sector. Unfortunately, we can see that our industry has a significant lack of information about climate change that is specific to our industry. Despite growing awareness, our research has allowed us to observe that adaptation measures remain insufficient. However, destination management organizations are trying to identify ways to support businesses and improve their knowledge in adapting to climate change, as we saw with our Climate Fresco Workshop which aroused a lot of interest both in Quebec and in the Maritimes. In addition, Ouranos, with whom we collaborated this year, is actively working to support this adaptation.

- On this subject, see also our article La Fresque du Climat Tourism - A game as a lever for climate action

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Source: Touriscope

This year, tourism associations have equipped themselves to start the sustainable transition: participation in training courses, development of sustainable development plans, characterization of the sustainable offer on their territory, creation of dedicated positions, offer of support to their member companies, etc. Despite everything, our collaborations have allowed us to see that the industry is still wondering about its role and responsibilities in this area, which is normal in this period of change.

A pooling of efforts

Despite the challenges that are still present, our various supports this year allowed us to detect a very strong desire on the part of the tourism community to act in a more concerted manner. In fact, encouraged by the Quebec Ministry of Tourism and the Quebec Tourism Industry Alliance, tourism associations support their members towards more sustainable initiatives, in particular through: certifications, looking forinspirations sustainable good practices implemented by international tourism businesses, or even by the establishment of communities of practice.

Also, the year 2023 marks the creation of Sustainable tourism lexicon by Tourisme Durable Québec, an essential free tool that allows the entire industry to align itself with a common language and thus facilitate understanding for all. Other tools were presented at the Quebec Sustainable Tourism Symposium, for which we collaborated to create the program.

In addition, a majority of tourist congresses have addressed the theme of sustainable development, such as that ofAEQ, and have implemented actions to be carbon neutral. It's encouraging for the future!

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Source: Quebec Ecotourism Adventure

Bicycle tourism as attractive as ever!

In Quebec as in the Maritimes, the increase in demand for cycling tourism is considerable. Thus, the year 2023 was marked by numerous projects around cycling.

Focus on projects supported this year:

- New strategic planning for the Acadian Peninsula Cycle Route

We supported La Véloroute de la Pénsula Acadienne in the revision of its strategic planning for the period 2024-2029 in order to better position itself in a sustainable approach, in particular by integrating the social dimension of sustainable development. Its mission is to “develop, manage and promote an attractive, safe and accessible experience for the various users of the Acadian Peninsula Cycle Route through a network of bike paths and events that reflect the unique identity of our community, strengthen regional commitment, promote regional commitment, promote sustainable development of the territory and encourage a healthy lifestyle.”

- On this subject, see also our work Harmonization of the bicycle product in Bas-Saint-Laurent

The development of protected areas

This year, the federal government announced funding to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to improve the protected areas network. It was paid as part of the future Nature 2030 Plan aimed at achieving the goals of the “Global Biodiversity Framework from Kunming to Montreal”, which aims to protect 30% of the country by 2030.

- To develop your knowledge on the subject, consult our article Let's demystify protected areas 

For more than a year, numerous organizations, parks and voluntary associations have taken action to benefit from aid. Our team has therefore noticed an increase in demand in this area since in fact, several actors have contacted the tourism industry in order to collaborate to promote the creation of new protected areas. This announcement will surely play a role in accelerating climate change adaptation!

- If you want to know more about the links between tourism and protected areas, see also our article: Protected areas and tourism.

 Source: Nature Conservancy

The emergence of a concept: Regenerative tourism

This year was marked by the spotlighting of the concept of regenerative tourism which aims to create a positive impact in the territory by adopting a holistic perspective to take care of the destination and the communities. It is often said that its mission is that the visitor “leaves the territory he is visiting in a better condition than when he arrived.”

Source: Ellio

The Destination Canada Destination Stewardship Symposium we attended this fall focused on this topic as DMO's new approach focuses on regeneration. This study suggests that Destination Canada, which is primarily a marketing organization, aims to exercise leadership in terms of tourism development. This is a trend to watch closely for years to come!

- On this subject, see also our article Take care of your destination through a regenerative approach.

The importance of hospitality

A new reception strategy for Quebec

This year, the Quebec Ministry of Tourism unveiled its new hospitality strategy. Bonjour Accueil 2023-2026 action plan With for objective to transform tourist reception into a key economic driver and to significantly improve the visitor experience. It is interesting to see this link between a good welcome and economic benefits. Indeed, visitors will be tempted to do an activity that they had not thought of; to visit a city or a region that was not planned in their initial itinerary or even to extend the duration of their stay.

Source: Quebec Ministry of Tourism

Develop inclusive and accessible hospitality

A quality welcome is meant to be accessible and inclusive, regardless of the form of tourism practiced. Indeed, accessibility in tourism is an issue that is more relevant than ever, as evidenced by the organization of the first Kéroul conference that we attended: Accessibility: an essential pillar of sustainable tourism.

This event emphasized the link between sustainable tourism and accessibility, which are both sensitive to the reduction of inequalities, respect for human rights and the importance of investing for the present as well as for the future. In addition, it demonstrated that the universal accessibility of the tourist offer and the reception does not only benefit people with disabilities but all visitors, especially senior customers. We also believe that staff have a crucial and complementary role to play in providing everyone with an inclusive, accessible and memorable experience.

Focus on a project supported this year:

Once again this year, wellness tourism is a constantly growing trend. Beyond the desire of spas to adopt sustainable practices, the need for these establishments to be accessible and inclusive for all, including people with disabilities, is important. For example, we accompanied the Jolie Vie Retreat Spa located in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, in its strategic planning. This wellness complex is fully adapted for all disabilities and is accredited Rainbow, highlighting the integration of the LGBTQ+ community in order to position itself as inclusive.

Enhance the particularity of the territory

Our year was marked by a demand for the need to highlight the land, its history and its culture in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. Initiatives to create collaborative projects with Acadians, First Nations and the promotion of the Francophonie were important. These projects allow visitors to forge closer relationships with Canada's various Francophone cultures, highlighting the unique heritages and cultural diversity present across these regions. This recognition of the importance of valuing history, intangible heritage and local traditions together paves the way for a deeper understanding and renewed appreciation of the cultural riches that are the pride and specificity of each province.

Focus on projects supported this year:

- Highlighting Acadian culture

In August 2023, the course Akadi Lumina opened its doors, showcasing Acadian culture in the Pays de la Sagouine in New Brunswick. This interactive experience created by Moment Factory is unique in Atlantic Canada. Visitors have the chance to be guided through the history of Acadian culture through a multitude of activities, each more original than the last. The experience was a great success. Among the 18 Lumina courses around the world, it is the one with the best NPS (Net Promoter Score) score.

Source: Akadi Lumina

- Highlighting the Francophonie in Ontario

Enhancing the Francophonie in Canada is of paramount importance in celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity while maintaining and promoting the unique and rich heritage of Francophone communities across the country. This year, we supported the Ontario Economic Corporation to develop new tourist, heritage and cultural circuits in the form of podcasts in the regions of Thousand Islands, of niagara And of Windsor-Essex.

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Source: Discovery Podcast

And what will happen in the year 2024?

As we close this reflection on our 2023 retrospective, the Touriscope team is more than eager to lead new projects with the industry in 2024. In the cards, exciting topics await us: support for sustainable tourism, valorization of indigenous tourism, analysis of public transport needs in remote regions, analysis of the potential of cooperatives in tourism, marketing projects and brand image, creation of strategic knowledge tools, etc. Enough to share with you great thoughts throughout the year!