INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP LEGACY

Destination Canada hosted the International Symposium on Destination Stewardship in Gatineau, Québec over three days in November 2023.

The Symposium was a pivotal event, uniting more than 300 delegates from across Canada and around the world to discuss how a regenerative approach to tourism can positively impact residents, the economy, culture, and the environment.

The four key themes that shaped the symposium were fostering connections among individuals, with nature, with the economy, and within communities.

Inspired by these connections, we created the International Symposium on Destination Stewardship Legacy designed to continue the conversations that started in Gatineau.

This interactive summary shares the bright ideas distilled from presentations and discussions that took place at the Symposium, along with emerging themes that concern us all as a sector.

It provides an in-depth exploration of the Symposium’s key themes and highlights best practices and lessons learned from both Canadian and global destinations that successfully implemented intentional destination development and embraced principles of regeneration. It includes insights from various stakeholders, including industry leaders, academics, government representatives and civil society participants who contributed to the Symposium.

The interactive summary also offers actionable strategies for fostering destination stewardship, guided by the principles of collaboration, innovation, inclusion and resilience.

The International Symposium on Destination Stewardship Legacy summary reflects Destination Canada’s commitment to fostering the sustainable growth of the Canadian tourism sector and enhancing Canada’s reputation as a premier destination for travellers and investors.

The Legacy summary is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding how destination stewardship can contribute to the social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing of destinations and their residents.

The interactive document is available to explore here on the Destination Development Knowledge Hub only—and we encourage you to share this resource with your network and colleagues.

Inside, we hope you’ll find ideas that resonate in your destination—and we hope it sparks helpful and necessary conversations for you, as we collectively shape the future of our sector.