Investing in Northern Ontario’s Tourism Industry

Province’s new campaign to boost Ontario’s North as a must-see travel destination

The Voice of Canada News:

The Ontario government is investing $1.2 million through Destination Ontario and Destination Northern Ontario for a new multi-seasonal marketing campaign encouraging domestic tourism within Northern Ontario. In market this summer, fall and winter, the campaign will encourage Northern Ontario tourism – providing a much-needed boost to local tourism industries.

Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, was joined by Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities and MPP for Sault St. Marie, to make the announcement during her Northern Ontario tour.

Developed in partnership with tourism stakeholders, the digital and social media summer campaign is running throughout August and encourages domestic travel in the Northwestern region. Celebrating the unlimited outdoor adventure opportunities, including angling, resorts, lodges, paddling, hiking, camping and leisure touring (i.e. car, RV, motorcycle), the campaign is designed to highlight the many great reasons to visit Northern Ontario in the summertime. The fall and winter campaigns will be developed with Northern Ontario partners and will expand to cover destinations across the north, with content highlighting the many seasonal activities available to visitors, such as hiking and angling in the fall, and snowmobiling and ice fishing in the winter.

As the province continues to gradually reopen, Ontario’s tourism and hospitality industry is implementing stringent measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Visitors are encouraged to review current COVID-19 updates before visiting attractions and are asked to respect health and safety guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Quick Facts

• Destination Ontario is an agency of the Government of Ontario with a mission to generate increased visitation to the province, and a vision to position Ontario as a preferred global destination.
• Destination Northern Ontario is the largest of Ontario’s Regional Tourism Organizations. It covers Northern Ontario and leads pan-northern initiatives and coordinates, aligns and invests in sub-regional programs and partnerships.
• As part of a new $13-million funding partnership between Destination Ontario and Destination Canada, Destination Northern Ontario is also receiving $500,000 to help deliver locally driven marketing programs to bolster the local tourism economy.
• Tourism is a key economic driver in Ontario, generating over $36 billion in economic activity and supporting more than 400,000 jobs.
• In 2017, Northern Ontario attracted 7.4 million domestic and overseas tourist visits, contributing $1.2 billion to the province’s economy.

Quotes

“COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented, devastating impact on the tourism industry. Our sectors were hit first, the hardest, and will take the longest to recover following COVID-19. By investing in Destination Ontario and Destination Northern Ontario’s Northern marketing campaign, our government is not only supporting the economic recovery of Ontario’s tourism sector, we are taking the opportunity to showcase the incredible, beautiful north, and remind Canadians why Ontario offers the world in one province.”- Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries

“This investment will go a long way to support local tourism operators in Northern Ontario as they work to rebound from these unprecedented circumstances. Our government is committed to working with important sectors like tourism as our economy recovers.”-Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

“There’s no denying that COVID-19 has hit Northern Ontario’s tourism sector hard. Now more than ever, we want to encourage Ontarians from across the province to travel safely and discover everything Northern Ontario has to offer.”- Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs

“Northern Ontario has a long and storied history of major contributions to Canada and the world. Northern communities are home to the most beautiful places, and there is no shortage of activities for our local residents and our welcomed visitors. By investing in Destination Ontario and Destination Northern Ontario’s Northern marketing campaign, our government is standing shoulder to shoulder with the tourism industry when they need it most. We’re helping get the message out that you don’t need to travel far – you just need to travel North.”-Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities and MPP for Sault St. Marie

“Our government is committed to supporting the resource-based tourism sector, which contributes billions of dollars to Ontario’s economy and plays a vital role in communities in Northern Ontario. That’s why we also provided immediate relief by waiving certain licence and land-use fees, helping local businesses through the economic recovery ahead and encouraging Ontarians to get outside. Whether you want to catch that big fish, camp on Crown land and gaze at the stars, or get a perfect shot of wildlife while on a hike, Northern Ontario is a place to do it all.”-John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

“During the Finance Committee hearings into the impacts of COVID-19 on the tourism sector we heard that Northern tourism operators were facing extra challenges because they usually rely heavily on American visitors. This campaign is intended to help them by reminding residents of Ontario and Manitoba about all the great outdoor recreational activities available in Northern Ontario.”- Norman Miller, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka

“This significant investment is an important step to support Northern Ontario’s tourism operators, and in particular operators in the Northwest who have been hard hit, by tapping into Manitoba’s $1 billion export travel market.”- Marty Kalagian, President, Destination Northern Ontario

“We are pleased to work with Destination Northern Ontario and our Northwestern tourism partners in our current marketing efforts to help drive visitation and spending into the Northwestern region when it is needed most. We look forward to our future marketing plans for this coming fall and winter that works directly with many of our Northern tourism partners.”- Lisa LaVecchia, President and CEO, Destination Ontario

“The North has a history of working well together, and in times of need, those relationships, especially the one with our provincial marketer, Destination Ontario, are critical for moving forward quickly with effective marketing for the region.”-David MacLachlan, Executive Director, Destination Northern Ontario