Destinations

Pan Am Games Are Gold For Toronto

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Tourism Toronto says Toronto’s tourist trade may be among Pan Am Games winners.

Tourism Toronto COO Andrew Weir says a strong performance by the Canadian team helped pique interest in this country and therefore draw attention to the host city, and the games are always popular in Latin America, boosting Toronto’s profile in some markets where Tourism Toronto is eager to make inroads.

“Exposure for Toronto in key tourism markets like Brazil and Mexico is very important,” says Weir, who adds there was a large foreign media contingent in Toronto for the games and it not only covered the competitions but also showcased the city itself.

Weir added that foreign media coverage not only showcased Toronto but also a broad swath around the city, with Niagara Falls and Ottawa getting mentions, which Tourism Toronto welcomed.

“When you’re bring people here on a 10- or 11-hour flight from Brazil, you need a mass of experiences,” Weir said.

The downtown InterContinental Toronto Centre. celebrated the games by displaying the flags from the 41 competing countries in its lobby and having a giant screen that featured the daily game schedule, medal standings and “athlete of the day.”

Seen here are bartenders William Bowman and Josh Lavoie with one of the drinks that the InterContinental Toronto Centre’s Azure Restaurant & Bar created for the Pan Am Games.