Set your sights on PEI’s tourism sector
Tourism on Prince Edward Island – Hiring practices
- Blue Mussel Café, North Rustico Harbour
- Coastal Culture and Cool as a Moose, Various locations across PEI
- Dave's Lobster, Charlottetown & Cavendish
- Dyne Holdings, Charlottetown
- EasyPEI Software Inc., Charlottetown
- Grandpa's Antique Photo Studio, Cavendish
- Inspired Living, North River Causeway and Cavendish Boardwalk
- Murphy Hospitality Group, PEI and Halifax
- Northumberland Ferries, Wood Islands
- Razzy's Roadhouse, Charlottetown & Cavendish
- Red Shores, Charlottetown
- Roberts Group of Companies, Kinkora, Alberton, Clinton, Kensington, New Annan
- Target Tours, Stratford
- The Gables of PEI Resort and Residential Community, Stanley Bridge
- The Holman Grand, Charlottetown
- Tignish Initiatives Cooperation, Tignish
- Tourism PEI, Island-wide
- TOURSEC & APPS Integrated Security Solutions, Charlottetown
- Tranquility Cove Adventures, Georgetown
Tourism is the second-largest industry on Prince Edward Island.
Tourism contributes 6.4 percent of PEI’s total GDP, the highest percentage of any province in Canada. Total revenues generated on PEI through tourism in 2018 were approximately $447 million.
Over 1.55 million visitors travel to PEI each year.
For every $1 invested by the Provincial Government in tourism, $2.80 is generated in increased government revenues.
Tourism provides 15,000 to 17,000 full-time, part-time, seasonal, and year-round jobs, which is equivalent to 7,900 full-time year-round jobs.
Categories of work include:
- Accommodations: Housekeeping, front desk, general managers, and supervisors.
- Food & Beverage Services: Servers, bartenders, line cooks, chefs, kitchen staff, front end workers, supervisors and managers
- Travel Services: Visitor information counsellors and tour guides
- Transportation: Ferry boat captains, airport, taxi drivers, and motor coach drivers
- Recreation & Entertainment: Golf courses, bike rentals, outdoor adventures, and cultural events.
According to Tourism HR Canada, the Food and Beverage Services industry is the largest employer among tourism businesses, accounting for over 50 percent of tourism jobs.
New hotel at the tourism job fair in Charlottetown looking to hire 40 staff
More employers at the tourism job fair in Charlottetown looking for staff
Program encourages mature workers to join tourism industry
Green Isle Air Heli Tours, Charlottetown
Prosper West program helps address seasonal employment needs
Think Big conference shares good economic news for PEI
Program removes barriers while addressing labour shortages
Tourism PEI Strategic Plan for Tourism 2016-2021: Vision 2021
In November 2016, the final presentation of the report Tourism PEI Strategic Plan for Tourism 2016-2021 was presented to stakeholders. Read the report here.
Among the many findings in the report, one conclusion is that labour force supply is one of the most pressing issues which needs to be addressed.
One goal the report identifies is to “ensure a committed, skilled and professional industry leadership and workforce to professionally supply peak requirements and support shoulder season expansion.”
Other Human Resource Priorities:
- Set up informal mentoring support for new operators
- Provide continuous training in digital marketing to the SME sector
- Introduce a tax break or fiscal incentive to over 55s who work as tourism/hospitality sector employees
- Modify the rules of the International Experience Canada (IEC) program
- Promote succession planning in rural areas via a tax code or other adjustment
Top 10 things tourism employees say they like about their jobs
- Flexibility
- Dealing with people
- Working with other tourism employees
- The opportunities
- Advancement potential
- Developing skills in demand globally
- Easy to get started
- Training opportunities
- Extra income from tips
- Creativity
Source – www.discovertourism.ca
Best way for job seekers to approach tourism employers
Interested in opportunities in Tourism on PEI?
Tourism employers generally start the hiring process in March and April. However, there are year-round positions within the tourism sector.
Ways to get connected with employers in tourism:
- Check tourism employment opportunities posted at www.choosetourism.ca.
- TIAPEI will host a Tourism Job Fair in Charlottetown in March, and in Cavendish in April. A Job Fair specifically for cooks and line cooks is to be held in Charlottetown in March.
- TIAPEI hosts a number of Tourism Passport to Employment Programs for mature workers and the next will take place in Montague in February.
- TIAPEI will host a Ready to Work Program for youth with a focus on cooking and related jobs in February.
For more information about jobs, training options on PEI, and more, call 902-566-5008. Visit Tourism Industry Association of PEI www.tiapei.pe.ca.
Tourism job titles and details about the profession: VIDEOS
See for yourself what it is like to work in the tourism industry on PEI!
Careers in Tourism – Front Desk Agent
Meet Josh. A Front Desk Agent working in Charlottetown, PEI. Let Josh show you what a day in a life of a Front Desk Agent looks like!
Careers in Tourism – Line Cook
Meet Andrew. A young man working in PEI as a Line Cook. Hear his real life stories of cooking in the industry and why he loves his job!
Careers in Tourism – Visitor Information Counsellor
Meet Robin. A Visitor Information Counsellor who provides information to visitors and absolutely loves helping people plan their dream PEI vacations.
Careers in Tourism – Housekeeping Room Attendant
Meet Rose. A young lady working in Charlottetown, PEI as a Housekeeping Room Attendant. Hear about her housekeeping stories and why she loves her fast paced job!
Careers in Tourism – Food & Beverage Server
Meet Sarah, a food and beverage server on PEI. Hear what she has to say about working in tourism, including perks, responsibilities and why she continues to stay in the industry.
New Master's program in tourism now offered at UPEI
Master of Arts – Island Studies, with a specialization in Island Tourism is a new two-year program which starts in August, 2018. It offers a graduate degree in the expanding field of tourism, applied specifically to islands throughout the world. Using primarily online courses, the program includes two work-studies with tourism organizations.
“Island tourism is one of the fastest growing global sectors,” says Jim Randall, coordinator of the Master of Arts in Island Studies at UPEI. “This new online program gives graduates a high-quality post-graduate credential targeted to students’ specific career needs.”
Employment opportunities for graduates
- Travel agency and tour operating companies
- Heritage sector
- Official tourist organizations
- Branding and marketing companies
- Local or national government
- Other local or national government or regional and international organizations where knowledge of the tourism sector is important
Scholarships and bursaries are available. For more information, contact Jim Randall, Program Coordinator, at [email protected] or 902-620-5013.
Visit www.upei.ca/programsandcourses/island-studies.
April 2018 Issue
Page 5
by Heidi Riley
For more information about jobs on PEI, training options, and more, visit:
Tourism Industry Association of PEI: www.tiapei.ca
Choose Tourism: www.choosetourism.ca
Work PEI: www.workpei.ca
Training and certification programs for most tourism jobs: www.emerit.ca
More information about training, jobs, and videos: www.discovertourism.ca
 | Click to watch videos of the many programs Holland College offers at the Tourism and Culinary Centre |
 | Click for related articles on Tourism. |