Photo: The Canadian Press

A new report finds that Canada’s travel and tourism sector is poised for a big post-pandemic rebound.

The World Travel and Tourism Council says the industry is set to contribute $162.6 billion to the Canadian economy in 2023, up more than 17 per cent from last year.

Conducted in partnership with Oxford Economics, the council’s latest research forecasts the sector is also within sight of the previous peak of $173.9 billion in 2019.

If achieved, the activity would furnish some 90,000 more jobs to reach 1.64 million this year, recovering nearly all the travel and tourism positions scrapped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Julia Simpson, who heads the council representing more than 200 companies, says a return of overseas visitors to Canada’s biggest city will fuel the comeback.

The country’s transport and hospitality businesses were among the most battered by the pandemic, which shut borders and restricted travel and restaurant dining.