Set your sights on PEI’s tourism sector
Tourism on Prince Edward Island – Company hiring practices
- Hampton Inns & Suites, Charlottetown
- Inspired Living, North River Causeway and Cavendish Boardwalk
- Northumberland Ferries, Wood Islands
- Stern’s Launderers and Dry Cleaners, Charlottetown
- TOURSEC & APPS Integrated Security Solutions, Charlottetown
Typically, the industry provides 15,000 to 17,000 full-time, part-time, seasonal, and year-round jobs. According to Tourism HR Canada, in May 2022 PEI had 7,800 full-time and part-time employees working in Tourism.
According to the TIAPEI Workforce Action Plan from May 2022, looking over the horizon, tourism employment projections are very healthy, pointing to enormous gains in job opportunities by 2026, led by restaurants, conferences, and other hospitality businesses.
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 55 percent of tourism jobs in Canada.
Labour Force Survey data released for May 2022 reveals that, at 2,010,000 workers, Canada’s tourism labour force increased by 4.6% (88,400 workers) from last month and has seen a significant gain from May 2021—up 16.8% (or 288,600) from 1,721,400.
While this is a very positive sign for the recovery of tourism’s labour force, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic persist as the tourism labour force remains 203,000 workers short of the sizeable pre-pandemic total of 2,213,000 from May 2019.
PEI Tourism news you can use:
Entry Level Cook Training one of many programs offered by TIAPEI
Creating a business with the right entrepreneurial support
Atlantic Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19: PEI outlook
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.
For more information about jobs on PEI, training options, and more, visit:
Choose Tourism: www.choosetourism.ca
Work PEI: www.workpei.ca
Tourism Industry Association of PEI: www.tiapei.pe.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 |
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