I've spent just about every summer during my undergrad working in tourism and I grew up in Niagara, so I know a thing or two about the industry. One summer in Niagara Falls at a campground, one with Toronto's tourism department doing research (essentially talking to tourists in front of the InfoTOgo truck) and last summer as an assistant policy advisor with the province's Ministry of Tourism. So I've worked on the industry's front line, done research, and had the chance to work with the people who are in charge of the Province's tourism policy and here's what I've learned.
First, we're afraid. We're afraid to invest money in real attractions, and instead would rather spend it on marketing. Marketing apparently is the key to everything. It's not. People don't see an ad and make travel plans. They go because they know of or hear of things that are great to see there, and often it's just common knowledge. I know that in London I can go to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. I don’t need an ad to tell me about them. Those attract people, and then from there people do other things. In Toronto we have the tower, which is awesome for a tourist attraction, but what's around it? uhh nothing... a baseball stadium and some sort of vegetable garden. Come on, this is the world's tallest structure and you're growing a veggie garden at the bottom? why aren't you capitalizing on that space with something that will make people want to hang out at the Tower?
As mentioned Ontario Place needs to be spruced up. We need quicker transit to our fantastic zoo (1.5-2 hours from Union Station is pathetic). We need a stronger transit connection between Niagara Falls and Toronto to make Southern Ontario somewhere people can spend a week without having to rent a car. We need to acknowledge the importance of culture and arts as not just improving the quality of life for Torontonians, but also as an economic driver.
I’ve argued this before, but I think the buildings on the CNE grounds are some of the greatest examples of architecture in this city, and no one even knows they exist. Imagine if the CNE grounds was all pedestrian, with all of these buildings adapted to become museums or attractions. The CNE is in decline, and I have little doubt that Toronto could make exponentially more money on year-round attractions on the land than they do in the 2 weeks of the EX.
Why aren’t there any other top notch tourist destinations on the waterfront that will provide a Tourism route that flows from the waterfront to Bloor? Let’s face it, hTo Park and Sugar Beach, and the whole waterfront plan isn’t going to draw tourists. Here’s what we can do that would make Toronto an amazing destination:
A tourist’s day starts at The Princes Gate where they have an awesome view of the skyline and a choice of 3 or 4 different museums situated within a large pedestrian area/park. After that, they walk down a beautified Lakeshore to Queens Quay and Bathurst where an amazing attraction is built at the site of the malting silos. Then people pass the Music Garden, walk down along the waterfront to Rees and up to the CN Tower (with things to actually do/see at the base), then they walk up a spruced up John St passing by (and probably detouring to) restaurants and shops on King and Queen. All that way down John you have the new AGO looming high straight ahead. Grange Park would be a spectacular sculpture/art garden. After visiting the AGO people would walk to NPS and Old City Hall (where like the article above says, something touristy should exist) then walk they up Yonge to the ROM. That's an entire day or two of walking/exploring, and they haven't even touched any of the neighbourhoods that we're known for. If they tried building a new attraction, adapting a building and improving on another, Toronto would quickly become something you can’t just see in a day. Would this cost a lot of money. Of course. But, we’re one of the richest countries in the world. If poorer nations can do this, then why can’t we? If we can spend $600million on the Skydome, then we can surely invest in something far grander, that not only would attract tourists, but would give Torontonians opportunities for adventures in their own city.
Sorry if this is a little long, but there’s so much potential here.
