Destinations International and Tourism Industry Association of Canada Announce Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Canada's Visitor Economy

Destinations International and Tourism Industry Association of Canada Announce Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Canada's Visitor Economy

Collaboration enabled by Canadian Destination Leadership Council

OTTAWA, Ontario (October 26, 2026) – Destinations International (DI), the world's largest membership association for destination organizations, and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) this week announced a new strategic partnership aimed at strengthening collaboration and advocacy for Canada's destination organization sector.

The initiative was announced during Destinations International's Advocacy & Action: The Destination Impact Event, taking place October 20–22 in Ottawa, Ontario.

The partnership is expected to strengthen industry advocacy by supporting a coordinated approach to communicating the economic, social and community benefits of the visitor economy to policymakers and other stakeholders.

The Canadian Destinations Leadership Council (CDLC), which consists of representatives of DI's 70+ Canadian destination organization members, played a key role in shaping and enabling the partnership. The initiative addresses urgent advocacy issues identified and prioritized by the CDLC.

“Canada's destination organizations play a vital role in driving economic opportunity, supporting local businesses and enhancing quality of life in our communities,” said Nancy Small, CDME, CEO of Tourism Richmond and CDLC co-chair. “This partnership and its resulting collaboration will continue to highlight destination organizations' perspectives and priorities in national tourism discussions.  By bringing together the collective expertise and influence of DI and TIAC, we can strengthen our advocacy efforts and help build a more resilient and competitive visitor economy across Canada.”

The partnership leverages the complementary expertise of Destinations International and Tourism Industry Association of Canada, while the CDLC's role in the partnership's design and implementation centers that the perspective and expertise of Canada's destination leaders. The partnership advances a shared commitment to advancing the economic and social contributions of the visitor economy to Canadian communities. By combining DI's global network, research and professional development resources with TIAC's national advocacy expertise and industry relationships, the collaboration will help strengthen the voice of Canada's destination organizations and the broader visitor economy.

The partnership will elevate the collective voice of destination organizations during TIAC's annual Hill Days and other advocacy initiatives throughout the year. DI and TIAC will also coordinate to release a series of messaging resources articulating the important role destination organizations play in advancing the travel and tourism industry and driving economic and social impact in communities across Canada.  

“Canada is an important and growing part of the DI community, and this partnership reflects our shared commitment to supporting the people and organizations that drive its visitor economy,” said Don Welsh, president & CEO of Destinations International. “By combining TIAC's strong national advocacy voice with DI's global research, resources and professional development expertise, we can better support Canadian destination organizations, strengthen industry collaboration and demonstrate the essential role tourism plays in communities across the country.”

"When tourism leaders pull in the same direction, the whole sector moves faster," said Sébastien Benedict, president & CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. "This partnership is about unity of purpose: tourism creates jobs, draws investment and connects Canada to the world, and its potential is far from reached. By advocating together for the measures that unlock growth, we can help our industry deliver lasting value for the country and Canadians."

The announcement comes as Canada's visitor economy navigates an increasingly complex environment shaped by economic uncertainty, changing traveler expectations, workforce pressures and evolving relationships between tourism, government and local communities. These challenges underscore the importance of stronger partnerships and a unified approach to advancing the visitor economy's contributions to Canadian communities.

The partnership also reflects Destinations International's commitment to supporting Canadian destination organizations through its research, advocacy, education and professional development programs, as well as the ongoing work of the Canadian Destinations Leadership Council. 

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