DESTINATION TORONTO’S 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

2020 challenged Toronto’s tourism and hospitality community like never before. The industry was hit first and will likely be the last to recover. As we look towards re-opening and the start of recovery, we’re looking back at 2020 and how the industry and Destination Toronto managed uncertainty and responded the global pandemic in the city.

PROVINCE ANNOUNCES 3-STEP RE-OPENING PLAN

Ontario has announced a three-step reopening plan tied to vaccination rates that could allow patio dining to resume and non-essential retail stores to reopen for in-person shopping as early as June, and outdoor events as early as 21 days later. Under the plan announced on Thursday afternoon, the government will also begin permitting outdoor gatherings of up to five people as of Saturday.

The announcement was followed by a technical briefing hosted by Minister Lisa MacLeod alongside public health officials to explain the roadmap for our industry. The minister noted on the call that outdoor cinemas are still yet to be placed in the 3 steps.

Here’s a breakdown of the steps for Toronto’s tourism and hospitality community with June 14 set as the target date for Step 1:

Step One (Begin after 60% of Ontario’s adults have one dose)
Outdoor first, with limited retail
Targeting June 14

• Outdoor gatherings up to 10 people
• Outdoor dining up to 4 people per table
• Essential retail at 25% capacity and can sell all goods
• Non-essential retail at 15% capacity
• Retail stores in malls closed unless the stores have a street facing entrance
• Outdoor pools, splash pads and wading pools with capacity limits
• Outdoor zoos, landmarks, historic sites, and botanical gardens with capacity limits;

Step Two (After 70% of adults have one dose)
Open indoors with small numbers and expand outdoors
21 days after Step One

• Outdoor gatherings up to 25 people
• Indoor gatherings up to 5 people and other restrictions
• Outdoor dining up to 6 people per table
• Outdoor meeting and event spaces with capacity limits
• Non-essential retail at 25 per cent capacity; essential retail at 50 per cent capacity;
• Outdoor cinemas and performing arts with capacity limits;
• Outdoor tour and guide services with capacity limits;
• Outdoor waterparks and amusement parks with capacity limits; and
• Fairs and rural exhibitions with capacity limits.

Step Three (70-80% adults with one dose)
Expand indoors where face coverings can’t always be worn
21 days after Step Two

• Outdoor gatherings with larger capacity limits
• Indoor gatherings with larger capacity limits and other restrictions
• Indoor dining with capacity limits
• Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities with capacity limits
• Indoor meeting and event spaces with capacity limits
• Essential and non-essential retail capacity expanded
• Indoor cinemas and performing arts facilities with capacity limits
• Indoor museums and art galleries with capacity limits
• Indoor zoos, aquariums, waterparks and amusement parks with capacity limits

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR TOURISM WEEK, MAY 23 – 30

Next week, is Tourism Week across Canada. Tourism Week is a seven-day coast-to-coast-to-coast event that recognizes Canada’s tourism economy, and the impact it has on every community across the country. This year, Tourism Week is calling on all of us to seize the opportunity this summer and fall to explore Canada and support the recovery of the industry, starting right here in our own city.

This is our chance to display a collective show of support for the industry and ensure Toronto’s voice is well-represented. Next week, we’ll share content you can use on social media to help support this important initiative.

REMINDER: REGISTER FOR TWO UPCOMING EVENTS

EXPANDING YOUR DIGITAL REACH
MAY 26, 2021, 9:30 – 10:30 am

Learn about the ongoing shifts and trends across digital and content marketing, followed by an overview of Destination Toronto’s new content hub- designed to better engage visitors, decision makers and locals.  This new hub enhances Destination Toronto’s publishing capabilities and will permit them to work in entirely new ways with the community as they produce, curate, and promote the many stories of our destination.  Also learn how your business can take advantage of specific advertising opportunities on the content hub to drive your business success this year and beyond.

Speakers:

• Jon Mamela, Chief Marketing Officer & EVP, Destination Toronto  
• Paula Port, Director Brand Content, Destination Toronto
• John Ounpuu, Partner, The Modern Craft
• Lia Wik, Director of Sales, Destination Travel Network

Destination Toronto will hold its Annual General Meeting on Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. The event will be broadcast live from new StudioEX at Exhibition Place, and is open to everyone to join virtually. Registration is now open. 

DESTINATION TORONTO ANNUAL MEETING
JUNE 3, 2021, 2:00 p.m. 

Destination Toronto will hold its Annual General Meeting on Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. The event will be broadcast live from new StudioEx at Exhibition Place, and is open to everyone to join virtually. Registration is now open. 

REMINDER: APPLY FOR THE ONTARIO TOURISM AND TRAVEL SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT GRANT

The Ontario government is providing one‐time payments of $10,000 to $20,000 to support eligible small tourism and travel businesses struggling to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through the new $100-million Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant.

This grant will support eligible small tourism and travel businesses that did not receive the Ontario Small Business Support Grant (OSBSG), such as travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, and bed and breakfasts. To qualify, businesses must have fewer than 100 employees and demonstrate they have experienced a minimum 20 per cent revenue decline between 2019 and 2020.

Applications for the Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant are now open until June 25, 2021.

INDUSTRY NEWS

The 40th edition of Toronto Pride is set to go virtual: The 40th edition of Toronto Pride is going virtual for the month-long celebration. Pride will feature 70 events and feature more than 130 2SLGBTQ+ artists, 14 party collectives and seven community committee programs. Pride Month will kick off on June 1 and include two Festival Weekends on June 18-20 and June 25-27. Virtual editions of Trans Pride and Dyke March take place on June 25 and 26, respectively, and the Pride Parade will cap off the festivities at 2 pm on June 27.

Harbourfront Centre hosts world premiere to mark Blackout Tuesday: TESSEL is a short film by Esie Mensah premiering on June 1. The day marks one year since Blackout Tuesday, a day when organizations worldwide publicly expressed their commitment towards institutional change to support the Black community. TESSEL is co-presented by Harbourfront Centre and Fall for Dance North