Comprised of over 230 organizations within a Provincial Advisory Council and 18 regional working groups, representing over 108 unique postal regions across Ontario, Tourism SkillsNet Ontario (TSNO) delivers workforce planning, partnership building, talent pool development and skills training at the community and provincial level.

TSNO brings a wide range of sector stakeholders together with the shared goal of driving innovative workforce development solutions - including employers, industry associations, regional tourism organizations, unions, Indigenous organizations, community employment service providers,  training/educational institutions, municipalities, community workforce development organizations and leaders in up-skilling, re-skilling and HR technology. 

The TSNO alliance delivers impact at both the provincial level (through a provincial council) and at the local tourism destination level (through regional working groups), collectively creating out-of-the-box workforce development solutions. TSNO builds capacity across the alliance by unleashing powerful workforce tools, analytics and industry partnerships to strengthen our sector’s agility and competitiveness in an ever-changing world. 

Skills and labour challenges are among the most pressing issues faced by the tourism and hospitality industry. To address this issue, OTEC directs tourism and hospitality workforce development efforts across the province. Tourism SkillsNet Ontario (TSNO) leverages provincial collaboration and investment to tackle skills, labour and strategic challenges at the local level, offering customized solutions to address these challenges and to build an empowered, resilient and thriving industry.

The TSNO alliance was formed in late 2018 in response to an increasingly chronic shortage of workers in tourism and hospitality. Business owners and employers in the tourism, hospitality and food service sectors cite labour and skills shortage as a critical inhibitor of growth. For example, a 2015 study revealed that there is a growing shortage of qualified front-line, mid-level and management workers, leaving tourism-based organizations at a disadvantage.

Collectively, stakeholders recognized the need for innovative strategies to respond to the lack of skilled workers and the importance of recruiting, training, upskilling, reskilling and retention.

TSNO enables its members to develop collaborative strategies at the local/destination level, aligning recruitment and training with the sector-specific skills businesses need most.

The long-term goal of the TSNO Alliance is to support the Tourism and Hospitality sector to solve provincial Labour Market challenges by increasing the capacity of members to anticipate, plan for and adapt to fluctuations and shocks, creating a more resilient sector.

TSNO has four strategic priorities:

1) Foster a shared vision - an environment of focused collaboration and coordination

2) Develop a skilled, nimble and reliable talent pipeline for employers

3) Secure opportunities for jobseekers aiming to build transferrable skills and experience

4) Increase job seeker’s interest in tourism roles by enhancing the sector’s image and illustrating the range of career options

OTEC leads Tourism SkillsNet Ontario (TSNO). It was formed in 2018 by OTEC together with its partners the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA), the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) and a network of local industry and workforce development organizations, with funding through industry partners, government grants and initiatives.

TSNO is funded through industry partners, government grants and initiatives.

OTEC (The Ontario Tourism Education Corporation) is Ontario’s leader in workforce innovation for the tourism and hospitality industry.

This not-for-profit organization delivers award-winning skills training, consulting, research and insight - guiding workforce strategy and evidence-based investment. OTEC provides a diverse portfolio of customized, sector-specific workforce solutions designed to ensure organizations achieve the highest standards of service and performance objectives.

OTEC is known for creating innovative sector-based, future-facing workforce solutions, and for driving social impact for diverse, vulnerable populations including newcomers, refugees and young people. OTEC’s mission is to provide thought leadership and dynamic execution to build workforce skills, capacity, and competitiveness throughout the workforce life cycle. OTEC connects and guides industry and community partners through research, technology, skills development and strategic opportunities for collaboration.

The alliance currently focuses its activities in Brantford & County of Brant, Hamilton/Burlington, London, Muskoka, Niagara, Toronto, Windsor Essex County, Kawarthas/Northumberland/County of Peterborough, Kingston, Ottawa, Leeds/Grenville/Brockville/Cornwall, Prescott Russell, Quinte West/Belleville/Prince Edward County, RTO11, Greater Sudbury & Manitoulin District, North Bay, Thunder Bay, and Timmins.

The tourism sector is comprised of five distinct but related industry groups: accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation and travel services. Restaurants can absolutely join TSNO as they fall under food and beverage services. Businesses of any size – from “mom and pop” businesses to large scale establishments within any of the five related industry groups are eligible to join TSNO.

To join an existing TSNO region, simply visit the JOIN page and select the "Regional Working Group" category and complete the form. If you do not see your region listed, it means that we are not currently active in your area however we would love to connect with you and discuss how we may be able to support your workforce development needs. Please feel free to reach out to us anytime at info@tourismskillsnet.org.