Happy Canada Day, everyone! One day a year, it’s time to turn our spotlights on my home country, the Great White North, and check in on how everyone is fairing.

Much like our American brothers and sisters south of the 49th parallel, we too celebrate the birth of our nation with burgers, beers and fireworks around this time of year. While it’s easy for people from other continents to think of Canada as the younger sibling of the United States, we are quite different in many respects. And, as it concerns hotels, there are many things we can all learn from the typical Canadian’s behavior and our unique circumstances. Here are five:

1. Embrace nature.

Canada is one of the least populated countries in the world on a per capita basis, and this statistic is exacerbated even more so when you remove the top four population centers (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary). Because there’s so much room to move around, we would be remiss not to take advantage of it in every way imaginable — with hiking, fishing, camping and water sports, for example. While not all of these might apply to your situation (read: urban locale), what’s most important to understand here is the thrill a guest will experience by partaking in an outdoor adventure, no matter how ordinary or eclectic it may be. Put your team’s heads together and think of a few ways to creatively inject some outdoor fun into your vacation packages.

2. Summer is short.

So don’t waste a single second! Given that we Canadians only experience about three months of genuinely warm weather (and it can snow every month of the year in Calgary or Edmonton), we know all too well how to use that time. Living in Toronto, even I am spoiled compared to other parts of the country further north. Summer is also the best time to get outdoors, so my suggestion is that you have plenty of backup “fun in the sun” ideas for your guests to enjoy. After all, autumn and winter are right around the corner, so make sure you seize the day!

3. Winter can be great, too.

Knowing that our summers are short does not deter my fellow Canadians from enjoying all that the rest of the year has to offer. We know our hot chocolate. We go skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. And we also know how to make the most of the indoors when we want to get away from the cold. If you play your cards right, winter shouldn’t be cause for any occupancy slowdown. Now that it’s the midpoint of summer, it’s a good time to do prep work; start to brainstorm ideas to stir up new business for the upcoming flurries season.

4. Humility is a virtue.

Canadians are a proud people, but we’re also pretty quick to point out our own flaws and have a laugh at their expense. Maybe we’re just a bit kooky from spending all that time indoors during our long winters. Our dollar is called the “loonie,” after all (named for the bird depicted on the one-dollar coin, as we don’t have a one-dollar bill). So, take a page from our book: as hoteliers, aim to be humble, open and forgiving of faults. None of us are perfect, and every person has a story to tell or a lesson to teach.

5. Bacon makes everything better.

Sorry vegans and vegetarians, but it’s true. Canadians simply love their bacon, and for good reason. I guess we just need the extra dose of animal fat to keep us warm for the winters. Add bacon to breakfast, to burgers, to salads, to hors d’oeuvres, to desserts — wherever you do, it’s a salty, savory flavor punch that people will enjoy. Talk it over with your chefs and see what ingenuous bacon upgrades they can think up. And if you really want to get in the Canadian spirit, get your hands on some peameal (a.k.a. Canadian) bacon, which isn’t cut from the belly but rather a lean, brined pork loin that is then rolled in cornmeal.

(Nota bene for Americans: 63% of Canadians have passports, primarily so that we can visit south of the border once the weather turns cold. Don’t forget us in your promotional offers!)

(Article published by Larry Mogelonsky in HOTELSmag on July 1, 2013)