Ontario on track lose $236-million in tourist spending due to new visa restrictions
Published March 8, 2024 at 4:34 pm
A tourism group says new rules for Mexican travellers could cost the province millions.
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is taking the federal government to task due to recent overhauls that have impacted visa requirements for travellers from Mexico.
These new standards require all visitors from Mexico to have a visitor visa when coming to the country.
For those looking to inquire into the Electronic Travel Authorization program, a non-visa air travel incentive, Mexican citizens must also now have either held a Canadian visa within the last decade or have a non-immigrant visa tied to the US.
According to an official press release from TIAO, this rapid application of additional red tape will impede roughly 40 per cent of Mexican travellers coming to Ontario, and more importantly, the local tourism operators that rely on their business.
Supplied data also indicates that Mexico is in the top five for international markets that engage with Ontario — which accounts for $236-million in foreign spending — equating to roughly 230,600 visits each year to the province.
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Additional concerns also surround tourists from Mexico who pre-booked flights and accommodations within the last two months, as they will likely have difficulty securing the required visa. The current window of visa approval may be upwards of several weeks.
TIAO already fears that Ontario’s spring tourist season may have already suffered irreversible damage, as the upcoming April to May booking season is already seeing significant changes in standards, such as rapid cancellations and losses in revenue.
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