TIAC’s new boss on a mission, sets a new course for the association

Be unified. Be noticed. Be the solution: TIAC CEO sets new course

Four years ago, TIAC’s new CEO, Sebastien Benedict wanted to take a break from his policy and strategic planning work for the government of Canada. That temporary break has turned into a major career shift to tourism, leading to his appointment as TIAC CEO in September 2025.

At his first TIAC Congress address as president, Sebastien set a new course for the association, focused on building a unified voice that will respond to the government’s mandate with real solutions.

“Tourism is a quiet giant,” he said. “Communities fall apart without tourism embedded in our lives. Why isn’t the government reacting?”

Sharing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s post about tourism’s record-breaking summer and the renewal of the Canada Strong Pass, Sebastien said, “It’s great to see Mark Carney tweet about tourism but there’s a problem. This tells me that the government thinks things are going great, and we don’t need help. But that’s not reality. We are struggling to find and keep workers., and it’s hard to raise capital. We are perceived as too unstable and too risky, with the result that tourism operators are refused twice as often as any other sector when applying for loans.”

Sebastien intends to use his extensive government experience to tourism’s advantage, starting with building a united voice for the industry. Emphasizing why unity is critical to winning the attention of policy makers and politicians, he said, “Government won’t listen to 1000 voices, but it will listen to one voice speaking for 1000 people.” To help the industry speak with that single voice, TIAC will shortly be releasing a new “talking points tool kit” to share unified messages for members.

Another of Sebastien’s priorities is to ensure that tourism’s voice is heard above the crowd. “Other sectors get more attention because they are more ‘annoying’,” he said. “When you’re sitting on your patio, do you notice the bee buzzing around your head or the ant crawling on the table? We have to be the bee.”

His final priority is to present tourism as a real solution to government challenges.  “The reality is that TIAC works in a world of political priorities and government mandates. To make progress we need to talk to the right people, at the right time, with the right message. Tourism has solutions to so many of government’s aims. We fit what government is looking for. Now we have to speak their language and make them understand.”

Story by Debra Sara Ward