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CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘We are bullish': Toronto tourism officials eyeing summer rebound despite drop in U.S. visitors
Emily Miller stops during her lunch break to take a selfie in front of giant letters spelling out Toronto, as workers set up for Pan Am Games public events in Nathan Phillips Square in central Toronto, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. (AP / Rebecca Blackwell) With just weeks to go until Toronto heats up with annual summer festivals and concerts, operators of tourist attractions say they're already feeling 'bullish' despite early signs that American visitors may be hesitating to make a trip up north. 'Overall, we are bullish on Toronto and on the tourism opportunity ahead of us right now,' Destination Toronto President and CEO Andrew Weir said. 'Certainly, in the first quarter this year, we saw small decline in visitation. There was a lot of noise, a lot of uncertainty about trade, around borders, and it just caused a lot of people to pause.' Despite the optimism, a new survey from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) shows nearly one-third of Ontario businesses are already seeing fewer bookings from Americans—a crucial market that accounted for nearly 79 per cent of all international visits to Canada last year. The decline comes following a surge of growing patriotism with popular slogans like 'Buy Canadian' and 'Elbows Up' in addition to a souring relationship with the U.S. as President Donald Trump continues to suggest that Canada should become 'the 51st state.' Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump engage in a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, May 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump engage in a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, May 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld American uncertainty, creating global opportunity In March, U.S. resident trips to Canada declined by about 6.6 per cent from the same time period in 2024, marking the first year-over-year decline since 2021, according to Statistics Canada. Arrivals by automobile were down 8.7 per cent in the month. On the other end, Canadians too have been hesitating travelling down south as recent data shows travelers took 35 per cent fewer trips in April this year. Still, Weir remains confident that the city can capitalize on shifting travel trends. 'At a time when demand for travel to the U.S. is down significantly… those travelers are going to look for alternate destinations, and what an opportunity that is for Canada and for Toronto specifically,' he said. 'It is a real opportunity for Toronto.' In an email to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for the CN Tower wrote said that it is 'hopeful travellers from around the world will take this opportunity to visit some of Canada's world class destinations, which offer unforgettable experiences as well as great value.' EDGEWALK Canadian Press reporter Alexandra Posadzki leans 1,168ft over Toronto's downtown while participating in a media preview of EdgeWalk on the CN Tower Wednesday, July 27, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press) Tourism is climbing — but not like 2019 Visitor numbers in Toronto have continued to recover from a pandemic low, with 400,000 more tourists arriving last year than in 2023, according to Destination Toronto. Still, the city remains about 600,000 visitors short of 2019 levels. Meanwhile, when it comes to spending by U.S travelers, Destination Toronto says numbers increased 10 per cent in 2024, though it still remains five per cent below pre-pandemic levels. That rebound, Weir says, has been helped in part by a stark increase in large meetings and conventions, which brought in nearly $619 million to the local economy last year. 'We think about summer travel as largely being leisure oriented… but there are a number of very large conventions that are coming to Toronto this year,' Weir said. 'It contributes to that diversification of the visitor mix, and that's so important as we plan for the future.' Summer hotel bookings already up Even though there was an early year slump, Weir emphasizes that people are already looking ahead to summertime in the GTA, noting hotel bookings are tracking ahead of years past. 'As we look to the summer months, we see hotel advance bookings are pacing ahead of last year for the summer,' Weir said. 'That's because after a period of slower travel demand, people rebound by traveling enthusiastically. We saw it after the pandemic.' Weir further explains that the poor first quarter 'does not necessarily constitute the beginning of a longer trend.' Instead, he suggests the dip was more of a temporary hesitation tied to the broader uncertainty happening across the world. 'What we're also doing is increasing our investment in some key overseas markets, particularly the UK, Germany and Mexico,' he said. 'In the current climate, some of which was unexpected… the opportunity is even greater because those travelers are looking away from the U.S. and looking for alternatives.' 'We still see a tremendous opportunity' Despite the ongoing political tensions, Destination Toronto says they haven't scaled back any effort to market in the U.S., noting it's still a 'tremendous opportunity.' 'The U.S. continues to be a very strategic and important market for us, and we've not reduced the effort in that market at all,' said Weir. 'We still see a tremendous opportunity there.' Toronto Caribana Parade Mas bands and pedestrians revel in the music as they walk the parade route at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival's grand parade, in Toronto on Saturday, July 30, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston (COLE BURSTON/THE CANADIAN PRESS) For the city, the summer calendar already looks jam packed with annual high-profile events, such as Pride Toronto, the Caribbean Carnival, Salsa in Toronto, and an expected return of Drake's star studded OVO Fest. 'If American visitation were to decline, we'd become more dependent on domestic and international,' Weir added. 'But that diversification is exactly what positions Toronto for long-term resilience.' With files from The Canadian Press, CTV's Tyler Fleming and Phil Tsekouras…
CTV News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
‘When he won, I almost lost it': Young Cambridge, Ont. martial artist to represent Canada at Pan Am Games
A rising star in the world of martial arts is making waves. CTV's Hannah Schmidt has the story of a local young athlete who's heading to the Pan Am Games.
CBC
14-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Manitoba among 4 provinces interested in jointly hosting 2030 Commonwealth Games
Manitoba is among four Canadian provinces looking to share hosting duties for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island have told the Canadian governing body for the Commonwealth Games that they are interested in jointly bidding for the Games. Potential hosts had until March 31 to submit their interest to Commonwealth Sport Canada, along with the sports they want to include in the Games. The federal government and the Ontario regional chief for the Chiefs of Ontario are also supportive. Brian MacPherson, CEO of Commonwealth Sport Canada, said his organization will now work with the governments to explore the feasibility of the bid. "We're quite hopeful that together, we'll be able to co-create an actual bid that'll be submitted to our international federation by Aug. 31," he said. Recent Canadian bids faltered The Commonwealth Games are a quadrennial multi-sport festival featuring 74 countries that Canada hasn't hosted since 1994, when the Games were in Victoria. Hamilton attempted to stage a bid for the 2030 Games, which would mark 100 years since the Ontario city held the first iteration of the Games in 1930, but the Ontario government didn't support it. Alberta's government wouldn't support Calgary's bid for 2030 because the costs were too high, the provincial government said in 2023. And Victoria tried to bid for the 2026 games, but that plan was shot down by the B.C. government. Over the years, the price tag for hosting the Commonwealth Games has skyrocketed to around $1 billion, MacPherson said, which made asking one city and one province to shoulder the largest share of the costs impractical. The international federation has responded by permitting hosts to drastically reduce the number of sports and athletes to make the event more affordable. MacPherson said that appeals to Canada, which wants to share the reduced costs of a scaled-down event across multiple provinces. It is also prioritizing the use of existing sporting venues, rather than funding new capital projects. "We're looking forward to having a united Canada Games," he said. Manitoba last hosted a large-scale multi-sport event of a similar magnitude in 1999, when Winnipeg hosted the Pan Am Games.
CBC
05-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canadian Tammara Thibeault launching pro boxing career at time of profound change for fight industry
Social Sharing When Tammara Thibeault is on a roll, she punctuates her thoughts with English phrases she didn't learn growing up in Shawinigan, Que. She might say, "d'you know woh I mean?" just to make sure you know what she means. Or she'll finish an occasional sentence with "innit?", short of "isn't It?", which our friends in England employ the way Canadians use "eh?" The speaker isn't really asking a question. Just making an observation. If you have lost track of the 28-year-old Thibeault since her first-round exit at the Olympic boxing tournament in Paris last summer, she hasn't disappeared. She just moved to Sheffield, England to immerse herself in academic work where she's pursuing her masters degree in urban design and urban planning. Before she found urban planning, Thibeault studied linguistics, which means she's aware of how a transatlantic move, and immersion in a new dialect, would shape her spoken English. And boxing? The 2023 Pan Am Games champion is still immersed in the sweet science, training daily at the Steel City gym in Sheffield as she embarks on a pro career that brings her back to Canada this week. Friday night at the Toronto Casino Resort, Thibeault takes on Sonya Dreiling in a six-round bout on the undercard of a lightweight clash between Lucas Bahdi of Niagara Falls and Ryan James Racaza of the Philippines. For Thibeault, the bout is a showcase, a homecoming, and an overdue reunion with some other decorated Canadian amateurs, like Bahdi and Toronto's Sara Bailey, now chasing professional success. "I get to come home, and I'm proud to represent Canada on home soil," said Thibeault, who is 1-0 as a professional. "I get to fight alongside old teammates. Lucas Bahdi. Sara Bailey. We all travelled together." Thibeault is launching her career at a time of profound change for the professional boxing industry. WATCH | Why Thibeault turned pro: Canadian Olympic boxer Tammara Thibeault turns pro 3 months ago Duration 7:26 Follow the money On the men's side, promoters and top performers have followed the money to Saudi Arabia, where Turki Alalshikh, the sport's newest, richest power broker, has bankrolled star-studded events. Last month Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the super middleweight champion and the sport's biggest pay-per-view draw, signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, the Saudi cultural festival pumping its sponsorship dollars into boxing, marking another significant shift in the sport's balance of power. Meanwhile, some North American promoters are investing heavily in women's boxing, raising the sport's profile and pay scale, and benefitting several Canadian fighters. Michigan-based Salita Promotions is a case in point. Regardless of gender their highest-profile performer is Claressa Shields, the two-time Olympic gold medallist and undefeated pro world champ. In 2022 Shields defeated Savannah Marshall in a middleweight title bout, one of just two women's fights in history to offer both headliners seven-figure guarantees. But her promoter, Dmitry Salita has also matched Shields with Canadian opponents — Marie-Eve Dicaire in 2021 and Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in last summer — and in January, Salita added Caroline Veyre of Montreal to his stable. Another example is Most Valuable Promotions, the outfit founded in 2021 by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, and the company behind the other multimillion-dollar women's bout, the 2022 showdown between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor at Madison Square Gardens. They signed Thibeault to a promotional contract after the Paris Olympics, and they're staging Friday's fight card, in collaboration with Ajax-based United Promotions. Bidarian, who grew up in Toronto, says the company's boxing braintrust identified Thibeault as a future star. Her amateur accolades signaled a successful pro career, and her outside-the-ring interests hint at crossover appeal. "The ideal world is, you have the skills, and you have the skill set to sell the skills," Bidarian said. "A perfect world is, you have those, and you're an unbelievably accomplished individual outside the ring. That's what Tamm is. That's what has me so excited." Focus on women's boxing Biarian says MVP's focus on women's boxing stems from his own time as an executive at the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which coincided with Ronda Rousey's run as the top-selling, highest-earning athlete in the organization. So while closing the pay gap between men's and women's stars is one of MVP's goals, the promotion is also working to normalize both sets of athletes using the same rules. In mixed martial arts, men and women both fight five-minute rounds. But where rules mandate three-minute rounds for men's boxers, women generally contest two-minute rounds. In 2023 MVP introduced three-minute rounds for women's bouts, starting with Serrano's title defense against Danila Ramos. "This is history," Serrano told ESPN afterward. "We made history together and I'm just excited to see the future of women's boxing." MVP's immediate plans for Thibeault include three-minute rounds – the round length employed for her pro debut, a four-round decision over fellow Canadian Natasha Spence. Medium term, they intend to feature her on the undercard of their higher-profile events, to increase her visibility. But long term, the lack of a middle class among women's boxers complicates the process of finding appropriate opponents. Thibeault ranked 6th Thibeault, for example, is the sixth-ranked middleweight in the world, according to Boxrec, the boxing stats database. Her opponent, Dreiling, is rated number 17, but the entire weight class includes just 40 fighters worldwide. In contrast, the men's middleweight division includes 1,994 registered pros. A matchup between the sixth and 17th-ranked men's fighters is a high-stakes showdown with world title implications. On the women's side it's an undercard bout between Thibeault, a prospect with a single pro fight to her credit, and Dreiling, who has a 5-7 record and a four-fight losing streak. That lack of depth helps explain why Shields has won world titles in five weight classes. She needs to move between categories to find a challenge. But that set up also puts talented prospects like Thibeault in a difficult position: fatten your record against overmatched challengers, head straight into a title fight without appropriate seasoning, or find a way to lure other contenders into about. "The onus on us is to put Tamm in positions where opponents are willing to take that risk," Bidarian said. And Thibeault's main challenge these days? Managing her time and energy to give both her education and her boxing career the effort they deserve. Thibeault says she uses a spreadsheet to help her allocate hours to each pursuit, but she has also learned that balance also means prioritizing one over the other for stretches. Right now, she says boxing is job one. But that'll change. "Sometimes you've gotta put boxing first," Thibeault said. "Once this fight is over I'm going to give it a good push for my masters, and put education first until the next opportunity."
CBC
02-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
'I'm proud of where I'm from': Olympian joins film, industry changemakers to celebrate Malvern
Social Sharing For two-time Olympian Tamara Tatham, Malvern is more than just the place she grew up — it's also where her love of basketball took off. "That one choice, that one opportunity to just say yes for the sport, really dictated the direction of my life, so I'm proud of where I'm from," she told CBC Toronto. Tatham and other changemakers with Scarborough roots were in the spotlight this week, with the Malvern Family Resource Centre (MFRC) giving them the stage to tell their success stories in the hopes of inspiring others in the community. Tuesday marked the second year the centre held its Malvern Made event, which program director Dominique Robinson hopes shows how homegrown talent can make a difference locally and around the world. "Malvern is often seen in a very narrow lens," he told CBC Toronto. "It really gives an opportunity to really think about shifting that narrative." With the event aligning with Black History Month, Robinson says the centre featured three Black speakers from the community. CBC News got the chance to catch up with two of them. 'You can do anything you want to do' Tatham's successful basketball career sprouted when she was a teenager playing in Malvern's community centre and Scarborough's local team. She considers herself a late bloomer to the sport, but that never stopped her from taking a chance. "I wasn't supposed to be playing basketball, but it was something that kind of just fell on me," she said. By 2007, Tatham joined Canada's senior national basketball team where she played until 2016, bringing home the gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games and FIBA American Basketball Championships. While with Team Canada, she played in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympic Games. She later became a mentor coach for the Raptors 905, making her the first Canadian woman to join the staff of a G League team. She then went on to become the head coach with the University of Toronto's Varsity Blues women's basketball team. She said she's excited to share her journey with the next generation in Malvern. "I think that's something that's going to continue to really build up the community and give young kids and people that are growing up in the community opportunities to see that you can do anything you want to do," she said. Uber policy advisor hopes to inspire youth Malvern was the first place Yanique Williams called home when she immigrated to Canada as a kid, later building her career as a public policy manager at Uber. From her family, the church to the teachers she had, she attributes much of who she is today to Malvern. "It's just a really great opportunity to be able to continue to give back to the community that I hail from," she said of the MFRC event. Williams previously served on the board of MFRC, where her favourite memory was taking former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne on a visit when she was part of Wynne's staff. "The community centre for me was just sort of a space for you to be able to go, to be yourself, to show up authentically," Williams said. In her current role as a public policy manager at Uber, she helps with operations ranging from rides to grocery delivery along with working to make the platform more inclusive to people who are blind or low-sighted. She hopes youth watching her speak see her as a living representation of what they could become. "Hopefully folks will be able to see themselves reflected to say, hey, you know, if Yanique has done it, I can do it too."
