THUNDER BAY -- A new tourism report from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce says remote regions of Ontario are suffering from the cost of air travel.
But the city's tourism manager says this city has been spared the worst because of the activity at the Thunder Bay International Airport.
"For the City of Thunder Bay, we're very fortunate to have their airline competition that we have," City tourism manager Paul Pepe said in a recent interview with TBT News, adding that the city's airport features a number of direct flight to and from Toronto among other key locations.
"For us, we've become much more competitive over the last five or six years."
That competitiveness has given Thunder Bay opportunities to bring in weekend leisure traffic, along with an ability to make convention and sports bids.
The region isn't without it's challenges. Pepe said remote Northern communities still face significant challenges moving people in and out of those areas.
The Chamber report, titled Closing the Tourism Gap, goes over the current economic situation for the province's tourism industry.
Recommendations included in the report include the development of a province-wide tourism strategy, and better use of data in the industry. However, the report also says Ontario's aviation fuel tax means northern and remote regions are less competitive.
Pepe adds that the city is also looking to expand its stock in international tourists, who on average, spend more than domestic travellers.
