Study sheds light on quality of tourism employment

Tourism is B.C.’s second largest industry and employs 267,000 people. Despite the fact that more communities are embracing tourism in an effort to expand their economies, there is still a group of people who question the quality of jobs tourism generates.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

A new study, funded in part by Human Resources Development Canada and managed by Malaspina University-College and Tourism Vancouver Island, sheds light on the quality of tourism employment. 

“While there are myths and perceptions of the types of jobs generated by tourism, the truth is, it hasn’t been studied very extensively,” said Nicole Vaugeois, a Malaspina University-College professor in tourism and recreation management.

The study indicates that tourism generates employment in many more sectors than just the hospitality industry. In the Vancouver Island region, adventure tourism and cultural tourism employ a significant number of people. 

“People do more than sleep and eat when they travel,” said Vaugeois.

Tourism provides a range of different jobs at all levels. In this region, the majority of organizations are small businesses that employ between two to five people year round.

“We’ve also found that a significant number of people migrate into tourism employment after working in other sectors of the economy,” said Vaugoeis.

“The primary reasons people choose to work in tourism are to work in pleasant surroundings, to work with and to meet people, and to have a job conducive to their lifestyle.”

Job satisfaction was found to be a key element in why people choose to work in tourism. Those working in tourism were most satisfied with the quality of work, their working environment, the level of challenge and the type of duties required by their job.

March 24, 2003 has been declared Tourism Ambassador Day by the province to honour tourism workers. The BC government is encouraging communities to find a way to mark the day and to honour the contributions tourism makes to the province.

For more information on the tourism labour market study, please contact Steve Wohlleben, project manager at (250)-754-3500.