TORONTO, Oct 11, 2022 — A Toronto Tourism & Hospitality Job Fair with representatives from more than 17 employers will help create a path for employers to connect with prospective hires, encouraging job seekers back to the tourism & hospitality sector. The free job fair in support of workforce development takes place Wednesday, October 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Metro Hall and is a collaborative effort by the City of Toronto, Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO), Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA), Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC), Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), and Destination Toronto.
The tourism & hospitality industry was one of the hardest hit sectors by the pandemic. The job fair will provide job seekers with networking opportunities for career exploration and professional development and approximately 400 opportunities ranging from entry level positions to supervisory and management, while supporting employers to fill roles on their teams.
The recruitment event is expected to attract hundreds of motivated job seekers looking for employment in a variety of areas across the tourism & hospitality industry's workforce including accommodations, food & beverage, customer service, transportation, and recreation & entertainment.
In addition to the in-person job fair, the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association will host a free virtual hiring event for the Toronto region through the Hospitality Connect program on Thursday, October 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
For information on the Tourism & Hospitality Job Fair, please visit the City of Toronto Festivals & Events Calendar. For information on the virtual hiring event, please visit ORHMA Hospitality Connect.
Quotes:
“I want to thank our industry partners for working together to create the Toronto Tourism & Hospitality Job Fair. This job fair is a great opportunity for people to network, explore new opportunities and consider new and exciting career changes. As visitors return to our vibrant city, we are doing everything we can as a City government with our industry partners to help connect people with jobs and ensure Toronto’s success.”
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Mayor John Tory
“We are honoured to join forces and partner with agencies committed to bringing people together to fill the labour shortages within the tourism industry. Partnerships and collaborations such as this are needed to support this industry, connect people with exciting jobs and create a promising future as we continue to rebuild and support the tourism industry and economy.”
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Colleen Nolan, Human Resources, Training and Communications Specialist, Indigenous Tourism Ontario
“This is an example of collaboration at its best and we at ORHMA are proud to be working with the City of Toronto, industry stakeholders and industry employers. We are excited to meet those wanting to work in our industry - your hospitality and tourism family awaits you!”
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Fatima Finnegan, VP, Workforce Initiatives & Industry Relations at Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association
“This is a great time to explore the variety of roles and work opportunities available in tourism and hospitality. Job fairs like this one are an example of how our sector is working together to address labour shortages facing businesses and connect people with great careers.”
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Adam Morrison, President and CEO, Ontario Tourism Education Corporation
“Collaboration is one of the successes that we have learned over the last couple of years. Uniting with partners to have a larger scope and strength in messaging has been essential. TIAO is honoured to be partnering with the City of Toronto, ORHMA, OTEC, ITO and Destination Toronto in efforts to address the labour crisis and attract talent to our industry. The Hospitality & Tourism Job Fair is just the start of this initiative to support our industry, assist in the solutions to have success for tourism businesses and those looking to build their career in the tourism sector”
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Carol Greenwood, Vice-President, Membership & Business Development, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario
“This summer has seen a strong return of demand for travel of all kinds, a welcome sign for Toronto’s hospitality and tourism industry. While this is great news for Toronto’s visitor economy, we have to ensure that our continued path to rebuilding our industry has the necessary workers vital to delivering on the visitor experience. Along with our industry partners, we are proud to support the Tourism & Hospitality Job Fair and continued workforce development.”
- Scott Beck, CEO & President of Destination Toronto
About City of Toronto
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofto.
About ITO
Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) is the province’s first and only dedicated Indigenous tourism organization that focuses on uniting communities, Indigenous organizations and industry leaders to support the growth of Indigenous tourism in Ontario
About Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association
The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) is the largest provincial hospitality association in Canada. With over 4,000 members, representing more than 11,000 establishments across the province, ORHMA is uniquely positioned to represent the issues that most impact your business. ORHMA represents the industry's interests at both the Provincial and Municipal levels of government. Through our specialized in-house government relations experts, our provincial Board of Directors and our local Regional Boards, the Association provides pertinent and timely advice on industry-specific issues to politicians across the province. The Association's dedicated and professional Membership Team provides ORHMA members with meaningful cost-saving programs and unique educational services. These resourceful programs not only improve the bottom line for our members, but also enhance their operating standards.
About Ontario Tourism Education Corporation
The Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) is a not-for-profit organization delivering award-winning skills training, consulting, research and insight – guiding workforce strategy and evidence-based investment for a wide variety of industries, business and destinations. OTEC leads Tourism SkillsNet Ontario – an award-winning alliance of industry partners aligning provincial workforce strategy with local labour challenges to build an empowered, resilient industry. OTEC’s commitment to positive social impact is seen through our support of vulnerable populations – including refugees, newcomers to Canada, indigenous populations, workers without post-secondary education, and younger people. Together, OTEC and our partners collaborate across industries, sectors, and all levels of government to create workforce solutions that make a lasting impact on the lives, economic prosperity and employment resiliency of workers, their families and communities.
About TIAO
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is recognized by government as the voice of tourism. At TIAO we work on behalf of our membership, collectively representing 200,000 businesses and 400,000 employees, to take on pressing policy issues that impact the Ontario tourism industry. TIAO leads the way in government relations on behalf of the Ontario tourism industry, including tourism businesses and operators, destination marketing organizations, regional tourism organizations, and educators. We provide evidenced-based policy recommendations to ensure the provincial government understands and addresses the multifaceted needs of the tourism industry. TIAO propels the powerful and innovative Ontario tourism industry by connecting tourism leaders, innovators, government, and educators through events and conferences. We are proud to host the largest gathering of tourism leaders, educators, businesses, and government officials in Canada, at our annual Ontario Tourism Summit.
About Destination Toronto
Toronto’s visitor economy is a vital economic engine for the city, generating more than $10 billion in economic activity and supporting 70,000 jobs in 2019. Destination Toronto’s mandate is to reflect the breadth and diversity of Toronto’s people, places and culture to inspire residents and visitors to meet, visit and explore our city. Operating in partnership with the City of Toronto, the Greater Toronto Hotel Association and the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, Destination Toronto markets and promotes the city to locals and visitors, attracts and supports major meetings and events, and supports local businesses to maximize the opportunities of visitor spending. For more information, please visit DestinationToronto.com.
