Group Tour Magazine - August 2023 - 6

SPO TLIGHT
Vince Accardi
CONTINUED
GROWTH
Vince Accardi,
president of Ontario
Motor Coach
Association and
Motor Coach Canada,
shares his outlook
on the industry and
its rebound
BY COURTNEY BIRCHMEIER
FOR VINCE ACCARDI, building a
competitive and vibrant tourism sector in
Canada has been the overarching theme
of his longstanding career. As president
of both the Ontario Motor Coach Association
(OMCA) and Motor Coach Canada
(MCC), Accardi knows a thing or two
about Canada's group travel industry. His
associations, which are both not-for-profit,
membership-based organizations, serve
the purpose of enhancing the growth
and vitality of the group tour industry and
member organizations through education,
events, awareness, and advocacy at
the provincial and federal levels.
" One of my first full-time jobs was for
a tour operator selling ski and golf vacations,
which specialized in group travel
and motorcoach tours, " Accardi recalls.
" Motorcoaches are vital to sectors like
tourism, which includes traveling for leisure,
sport, and business events. As soon
as the opportunity came up to work with
associations that represent businesses
involved in motorcoach travel, I had to get
involved. Prior to OMCA and MCC, I was
the vice president of stakeholder relations
and acting CEO of the Tourism Industry
Association of Canada. "
We chatted with Accardi about the state
of the industry, his associations, and what
groups can expect at this year's OMCA
Marketplace event.
Q. The group travel industry has
faced a few challenging years
since the onset of COVID-19.
How would you describe the
current state of the industry
and its future?
A. Traditionally, group travel has been a
segment of tourism that helps destinations
become established. Post COVID-19, we are
seeing this pattern reemerge. Motorcoach
groups are returning to established destinations
first and are stronger than other
segments of tourism.
Q. What trends are you noticing
in the industry right now?
A. There is a great deal of pent-up travel
demand in the system, however, there is
still some consumer hesitancy to book trips
well in advance. This last-minute booking
6 AUGUST 2023
cycle is making it very challenging for tour
and motorcoach operators alike. Hotels and
other group travel suppliers need to secure
business, but early cut-off dates for tour
groups paired with last-minute bookings
make it a challenging and, at times, a risky,
business environment.
Q. How have the needs of
travelers evolved over the last
several years? What about the
needs of tour operators?
A. Travelers are expecting and returning to
a " high-touch " level of service. Online bookings
and the uncertainty caused by the nowremoved
COVID-19 travel restrictions caused
concerns, and at times, confusion, for consumers.
They are now looking to travel professionals
to help them navigate the booking
process. Tour operators are now doing more
with less, as labor challenges have been difficult
on the industry. We lost many great
colleagues to other careers, and it has been
difficult to find people to fill vacant positions.
Q. What are the challenges (or
opportunities!) the motorcoach
industry is facing, and how do
you and your organization(s)
intend to address those?
A. The biggest opportunity for our sector
is staying top of mind with our destination
partners and governments. Motorcoach
travel is a huge economic driver for communities.
We need to continue to remind
decision-makers of how important our
business is to the economy. Our associations
do just that-we are always reminding
governments and our partners how valuable
our sector is to the economy and why
they should be investing into our sector.
Q. What are your industry's
needs? What types of resources
are tour operators looking
for right now?
A. Tour operators are looking for new product
and to build new connections. To accomplish
this, our 2023 OMCA Marketplace will
host a mini marketplace, featuring new, local
product that will help enhance their itineraries,
plus we have built in more networking
and educational opportunities for those who
are new to the group travel business.
PHOTOS OMCA
Group Tour Magazine - August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Group Tour Magazine - August 2023
