Paul Pepe, tourism manager for the City of Thunder Bay, said the city needs more hotels.
THUNDER BAY — A new hotel has opened in the city.
Located at the corner of Arthur Street W and Highway 11/17, Home2 Suites by Hilton is the newest property to support tourism in a growing city.
Paul Pepe, tourism manager for the City of Thunder Bay, said the city needs more hotels.
“Thunder Bay has had the highest occupancy rates in Canada for many years,” Pepe said.
Pepe said it’s often fully booked during the summer, but the off-season can be just as busy.
“When the Central Canada Resource Expo was held in September during the off-season, the city was packed for it,” he said.
Pepe said the diversity of Thunder Bay’s tourism economy means the city is truly a regional destination, with visitors coming here for leisure, sport and business, including visitors from Indigenous communities. He said it shows that it is a central location.
Pepe said there is still room for more hotels in the city.
“What we’ve discovered over the last 10 years is that there’s always, always room for more growth,” he said, adding that hotel developers are also doing their homework on future markets.
“They see opportunities, they see opportunities for growth. This shows tremendous confidence in the city’s economy as a whole,” he said.
The city is already a regional hub for tourism, business and medical care, so it will be able to bid on larger events if accommodation space is available.
“This will also help us bid on more sporting and convention events and increase our leisure marketing capabilities,” he said.
Pepe said the city was sold out in July and August last year, creating challenges from a marketing standpoint.
He pointed out that the tourism board has shifted its strategy to try to increase production capacity in winter and summer as well.
“We are really grateful for the new investment being made in the accommodation sector and the confidence hotel developers are showing in the city, which will help us market the city for the convention, sports and leisure travel markets. You’ll have more options when you’re ready.”
