Canadian Tourism -Sightseeing to Soul Seeking

Have you ever stood in a place that felt like more than just a location? Where the air carried stories, the land echoed memory, and you walked away with more than a photo, or even a memory that will last a lifetime, you walked away different?

Two weeks ago on Chatter that Matters I interviewed Ben Cowan-Dewar who built Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs on Cape Breton Island.  Two golf courses that have captured the attention of golfers all over the world and brought energy and vitallity to one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Last week, my guest was Zita Cobb, who was a force of human nature who created Fogo Island Inn, as a model for creating an economic renaissance, a true circular economy that can be replicated across Canada.

In today’s special three-minute episode of Chatter that Matters: Mini Matters, I’m breaking format to talk about tourism, and its power to transform Canada’s economy and identity.

Tourism isn’t just travel. It’s a passport to enlightenment. A conversation with nature, and with our nature. And Canada? Canada is a sleeping superpower.

Three coastlines. Ancient forests. Cities pulsing with culture. Indigenous wisdom, world-class cuisine, and experiences that can reset your soul.

Tourism can be the spark that rekindles our economy, from the land up. But only if we rethink it. Only if we stop seeing it as sightseeing and start building it as life-changing.

Take a few minutes. Lend me your ears—and maybe, your imagination. Let’s talk about what it means to bring the world to Canada.

 

Afterwards, I encourage you to listen to both of these shows if you are in the expeience, hospitality or tourism space, or love those who dream and do.

If you want to hear my interview with Ben Cowan-Dewar - Build it and they Will Come, click here: https://chatterthatmatters.libsyn.com/ben-cowan-dewar-build-it-and-the-world-will-come

If you want to hear Zita Cobb's amazing story -  https://chatterthatmatters.libsyn.com/zita-cobb-the-miracle-of-fogo-island

 

 

 

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
I've been thinking a lot about Canada lately. Not the political
headlines or who's on first or even the latest inflation numbers.
Thinking more about our soul, our heart,
and what we need to do to build a new economy. One that
beats strong, that roars with productivity and innovation,
creates purposeful jobs, a resilient tax base,

(00:26):
and one that can support our social services, defend our sovereignty,
and service the mountain of debt we're quietly stacking like fire logs.
But I've also come to this truth, this harsh realization. I'm
not sure our legacy industries are prepared
to change the way they need to change. Too often, they're
gridlocked, trench interest in all sides, the private sector, the

(00:49):
public sector, unions, and nobody's willing to give an
inch. And I get it. It's not in human's nature to give up
something they feel they've earned or deserved. So maybe, just
maybe, this renaissance we so desperately need has to come
from entrepreneurs, the dreamers, and doers. Today,
I wanna talk about how it can also start from the land up, from

(01:11):
the places that define us. Today, I wanna talk about
tourism, and the transformative insight Zita Koff shared with
us. Zdikov remind us that place is more than geography. It's
memory. It's meaning. It's a stage where we welcome the world and we
rediscover ourselves. And what a stage we offer.
Canada with the second largest landmass, three coastlines,

(01:35):
ecosystem that ranges from tundra to rainforest to rocky mountains,
cities humming with culture and multicultural and creativity.
Canada is a tourism superpower waiting to be awakened.
Veteran ecotourism, indigenous experiences rooted in healing and
connection. Our arts, cuisine, the road trips through forests that have stood
for centuries, or a cabin trail that leaves you breathless.

(01:59):
I think of the hot springs in Alberta, and I immediately go to
creating a longevity center where people can reset their
lives, add years to their life, and life to the years.
The Atlantic promises where the wind smells like salt and stories of
generations upon generations making it their home.

(02:21):
But we need to think of tourism not just as a place to visit,
but start thinking of it as a passport. A
passport where people can be enlightened, they can experience, they can connect,
they can have conversations with mother nature, and conversations
that involve human nature. Places where they can be empowered and
educated. A place where guests come and not just leave with photos, but

(02:44):
with perspective and memories that last a lifetime. Memories that
they share all over the world to remind people that Canada
is the place to be. Seeta calls it an economic
miracle. I call it a missed opportunity if we don't act.
We need to invest in our tourism sector. So to
every entrepreneur, every operator, every community leader, every

(03:06):
tourism board, here's my offer to you. Send me a paragraph
on what you do and where you are, and I'll send you back an
idea. They might be big, they might be small, they might be half baked, they
might be bold, they might just be thought starters, but if they start you to
dream and do, well that's time well spent.
Because tourism matters to all of us, and now it's time to bring the

(03:28):
world to Canada and Canada to the world. Thank you for listening
to my chat today with Zita Cobb. I hope you tuned in last week to
Ben Cowan Durr, who fell in love with Cape Breton and created Cabot Cliffs and
Cabot Links, and are now bucket list destinations for golfers all over
the world. And next week, I'm serving up another idea.
We're gonna move from tourism to another place Canada can soar,

(03:50):
from farm to fork. We're gonna do a deep dive in agriculture
innovation and how we can feed a planet and our future.
And once again, thank you RBC for making these conversations possible.
This is Tony Chapman. Thanks for listening, and let's chat soon.