About Tourism SkillsNet Ontario

Tourism SkillsNet Ontario (TSNO) is an alliance for collaboration, communication, and coordination, focused on tourism and hospitality workforce development and programming at a local level. Led by OTEC, TSNO builds community partnerships, helps businesses access resources and training, and advocates for local tourism and hospitality operators across the province.

The tourism sector is remarkably diverse, comprising five distinct but related industry groups: accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation, and travel services. Although its widespread nature contributes to its undeniably strong impact on the economy and culture, it also presents unique challenges regarding workplace standards and best practices. The need is great for a unifying body to create Best-In-Class industry employment standards, attract and retain talent to the sector and strengthen opportunities for vulnerable populations.

TSNO is an alliance comprised of a Provincial Advisory Council and Regional Working Groups, connecting over 300 members from public, private, and nonprofit organizations interested in tourism and hospitality workforce development. This includes businesses, education institutions, municipalities, employment services providers, destination marketing organizations and regional tourism organizations (RTOs).

TSNO members map strategies to tackle key workforce development challenges, such as talent acquisition, retention and skills gaps, and advise on provincial advocacy efforts to maximize the inclusive economic potential of this sector at local and provincial levels.

Through TSNO, members are uniquely positioned to give visibility to local tourism and hospitality issues, provide input into training curricula and future initiatives, and harness cross-sector collaboration opportunities.