INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

The tourism industry globally was the first hit by Covid-19 travel restrictions, it was the hardest hit, and is the last to recover. Cape Breton Island is no different. The Cape Breton Island Tourism Training Network (CBITTN) is focused on post-pandemic supports aimed to strengthen the tourism sector today and for years to come.

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Via a collaborative framework and funded primarily by the Sectoral Initiatives Program of Employment and Social Development Canada with local economic development and tourism partners, the CBITTN will build training programs that will help improve destination competitiveness. The research conducted over the next three years will fill a gap of Cape Breton Island specific information which will assist with decision making and investment attraction.

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The summer tourism of 2022 has been marked by a severe labour shortage throughout the tourism sector on Cape Breton Island. Restaurants, accommodations, attractions, and other tourism-oriented business were forced to operate with reduced hours or reduced services. Post pandemic market demand is high but the industry is challenged with lack of a reliable and trained service staff.