Tourism is an integral part of Windsor’s economy.
By Mayor Drew Dilkens
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the Windsor region hosts more than 4.8 million visitors each year who create an economic impact of over $562 million and support over 16,000 jobs.
While the tourism industry is predicted to grow 2 to 3%, sport tourism is expected to increase nearly 14%
and is the fastest growing sector in tourism, accounting for approximately $600 billion in global economic activity every year.
Sport tourism’s rapid growth, coupled with the stabilizing force it has on an industry that is easily affected by border security issues, fluctuations in currencies, gas prices and health epidemics, has created an increasingly competitive environment for communities bidding to host sporting events.
There are many factors that can affect a community’s ability to attract and host a successful sporting event. Factors such as available accommodations, the state of local infrastructure and the location of the
community relative to the previous hosting community tend to be static, but there are many factors that relate directly to a community’s level of experience with hosting sporting events.
Following the success of hosting the “Canadian Baseball Championships” in 2003, City Council made a concerted effort to increase sport tourism in Windsor and to capitalize on the benefits it generates.
Successive City Councils have recognized that creating an environment where sport tourism can thrive
and where communities realize the greatest benefits takes a long term commitment.
Over this period Windsor has hosted many prominent sporting events, including the “Red Bull Air Race World Championship,” the “Grey Power World Cup of Curling,” the “Canadian Tour Golf Championships,” the “World Under-17 Hockey Challenge,” the “Skate Canada International Figure Skating Championships,” the “International Children’s Games,” the “FINA World Diving Championships” and
the “Ontario Summer Games.”
In 2016 our City will host the “FINA World Swimming Championships (25m),” the largest international
swimming-only competition in the world.
