Yesterday I had the chance to speak at this year’s Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance (CSTA) Conference about the gains we have been making in our local tourism sector. According to the CSTA’s rankings released this week, Kingston is now one of the top communities in the country for sports tourism. In Ontario, only Toronto and Ottawa are ranked higher than Kingston, a clear sign that we are punching well above our weight on the tourism front.
With Kingston set to host the Curling Canada Brier next winter, our city is on the national radar for sports tourism, and there are many great opportunities to host other sporting events that will attract visitors and tourists to Kingston. Our location between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa makes our community a perfect host for sporting events and tournaments. Our city is also well known as the freshwater sailing capital of the world, and with the support of dedicated volunteers at CORK, we continue to attract many world class sailing competitions.
At the conference I told delegates that our community really understands the value of tourism. Visitors and tourists spend money in our city which helps support local businesses and creates jobs in the tourism sector. But there is also an important civic pride that compliments tourism. We are proud of our incredible city and tourism is a great way to showcase the culture, history and natural beauty that Kingston offers.
When City Council gathers for strategic planning next week, I’ll be advocating for key investments to continue to grow our local tourism sector. A deep water dock in the downtown would allow us to welcome cruise ships and improve the waterfront. A partnership with St. Lawrence College offers the possibility of a downtown campus and creating a world class tourism and hospitality program. This would mean students could prepare for careers in the tourism sector right in the heart of Kingston’s vibrant tourism sector. Together we can build on our recent successes and establish Kingston as a national leader in tourism!