Destination Canada, a Crown corporation wholly owned by the Government of Canada, and the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration between tourism and economic development leaders across Canada, helping communities advance tourism investment, attract visitors and unlock long-term economic growth.
Tourism is a major economic engine for Canada, and Destination Canada’s latest Outlook Report shows growth that will far outpace the general economy. The sector generated $140.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2025. Tourism GDP grew at 2.5%, outpacing the national economy, which grew at 1.7%. Destination Canada’s forecast shows that annual tourism revenue is projected to grow by 6% in 2026. It supports 280,010 businesses in 5,000 communities; 1 in 10 jobs in Canada relies on tourism. Tourism is one of Canada’s largest service exports, contributing $34.9 billion in export revenues last year, said the corporation.
Stronger collaboration between tourism and economic development leaders advances Destination Canada’s strategy Tourism 2030: A World of Opportunity by positioning tourism as a high growth economic driver offering fast returns, while strongly supporting the government’s goals of doubling non-US exports by $300 Billion by 2035 and unlocking $1 trillion in investment over five years, it added. Â
“Tourism supports communities across Canada by diversifying economic activity, creating immediate jobs, improving local amenities, and attracting investment,” said Meaghan Ferrigno, Interim President and CEO of Destination Canada. “By partnering with the Economic Developers Association of Canada, we are strengthening connections between professionals in tourism and economic development to help communities position tourism as a catalyst for investment and long-term growth.”
“Economic developers play a critical role in shaping vibrant, resilient communities,” said John Perrott, Executive Director of EDAC. “This collaboration with Destination Canada will help equip our members with new insights, tools and partnerships to integrate tourism into economic development strategies and unlock opportunities for communities across Canada.”
Destination Canada said the collaboration will focus on knowledge sharing and strengthening investment readiness between the tourism and economic development sectors, including:
- Promoting the economic value of tourism to economic development professionals and municipal leaders
- Sharing research, data and best practices related to tourism development and investment attraction
- Delivering workshops and webinars that build tourism investment literacy among economic development professionals
- Integrating tourism-focused content into EDAC’s Certified Economic Developer (Ec.D) curriculum
- Participating in conferences and joint communications initiatives that strengthen collaboration between tourism and economic development organizations
The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration over the next three years, enabling both organizations to advance initiatives that support tourism growth, strengthen investment attraction and create new economic opportunities for communities across Canada, it said.
To learn more about how Canada’s tourism sector is positioned for growth, including market fundamentals, demand drivers, priority growth corridors, and opportunities to align capital with destination development, visit www.investintourism.ca.Â
In 2025, tourism generated $133 billion in visitor spending, supporting over 280,000 businesses in 5,000 communities. With revenues projected to grow to $177B by 2030, tourism is a key economic driver and Canada’s second-largest service export, with the potential to contribute up to 10% to Canada’s $300B trade diversification goal, said Destination Canada.
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