Toronto Expects Benefits from Pan Am Games

TORONTO, ONTARIO, November 9, 2009 – As the win for Toronto of the 2015 Pan / Parapan Am Games was announced, Tourism Toronto cheered as enthusiastically as the athletes, fans and bid committee, because of the significant tourism benefits it will bring to the city and province.

“The Pan Am Games will deliver a major boost to the region’s tourism fortunes,” said David Whitaker, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto. “Having athletes, sports fans and media here, in particular from markets we are developing in Latin American countries, is a great opportunity to showcase Toronto.”

Tourism Toronto worked alongside bid organizers to ensure hotel capacity and room agreements with GTA hotels were in place, as approximately 250,000 people are expected to attend Pan Am events. At a minimum, Tourism Toronto is projecting 20,000 hotel rooms to be utilized during the Games, generating $30 million in hotel sales alone.

“Equally important is the opportunity to expand and improve many of our venues, which will provide benefits for years to come, as we will have the ability to attract even more large, international sport events,” said Whitaker.

The Games bid included a sport venue plan that includes six major new venues including an Aquatic Centre, a velodrome and two new 50-metre, 10-lane pools. All sport venues will be in full compliance with International Sport Federation specifications, leaving a legacy that Tourism Toronto can build on when bidding on future significant sport events.

About Tourism Toronto
Tourism Toronto, Toronto’s Convention and Visitors Association, is an industry association of more than 1,200 members established to strategically sell and market the Greater Toronto Region as a remarkable destination for tourists, convention delegates and business travellers around the globe. For more information on Tourism Toronto, please visit http://http://www.seeTorontonow.com.

ENDS

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