Industry

The 1000 Islands International Tourism Council will again offer distribution services at Interstate 81 Rest Areas in Jefferson County, south of the international border.

The Rest Areas are located along the northbound highway between exits 49 and 50N – just south of the Alexandria Bay and Clayton exits – and the southbound highway between exits 44 and 43 just south of Watertown. The Council restocks literature weekly at these Rest Areas from spring through fall and sporadically throughout the winter as well as manages inventory and provides storage.

For 2022, the per-slot rate is $75 U.S. funds and $90 Canadian funds. Distribution at these Rest Areas is an economical marketing tactic to visitors within the region. To place your brochure in either – or both – of these centers, please see the enclosed contract for rates and quantity requests. Please send all inquiries to Council Distribution Manager Judy Agar at 315-482-2520 or judy@visit1000islands.com

Click here to download the application form.

Deadline: November 10th

The Ontario government is investing $100 million through the new Tourism Recovery Program to help stabilize the province’s tourism industry as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19. Successful applicants can receive up to 20% of their 2020-21 qualifying revenues losses or an amount based on their salary/wage expenditures in 2019Eligible businesses include hotels, inns, resorts, boat tours, breweries/wineries (that provide visitor experiences or tours), motor coaches, sight-seeing tour operators, public golf courses, farm-based tourist attractions, live performance venues, cinemas, museums, and Indigenous attractions. Restaurants, personal care services, art galleries, and festivals/events are not eligible for this program. This program has specific eligibility requirements: your business must have been legally incorporated as of Jan. 1, 2018, operate an eligible tourism business, have issued at least one T4 to an employee in 2019, and have seen a qualifying revenue decline of at least 50% in 2020-21.Please review all eligibility requirements carefully.

> LEARN MORE <

The province has confirmed that the $100 million Ontario Tourism Recovery Program, previously announced in the spring budget, will launch in mid-October. The Tourism Recovery Program will support for-profit tourism businesses in the attraction, accommodation, and leisure travel sectors that help drive employment and visitors to their regions. Eligible businesses include hotels, inns, resorts, boat tours, ski hills, distilleries, hunting and fishing camps, airlines, motor coaches, live performance venues, cinemas, drive-in theatres, amusement parks, museums, and Indigenous attractions.

The Tourism Recovery Program will support tourism businesses that have experienced a loss of at least 50% of eligible revenue in 2020-21 compared to 2019. Eligible applicants will receive up to 20% of 2020-2021 qualifying revenue losses with a funding cap of $1 million. Program funding will go towards helping businesses reopen safely, develop innovative tourism products, and/or retain and create tourism jobs. Eligible expenses include reopening and operating costs such as staff salaries and maintenance, health and safety measures for visitors and workers, tourism product and experience development, or marketing.

Applications for the Tourism Recovery Program will open on October 13, 2021.

For more information, read the news release here. For a full list of eligible businesses, activities, and application details, visit the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program page here.

Copyright © 2021 Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, All rights reserved.

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) delivers programs and services to support innovation and economic growth in Southern Ontario. FedDev recognizes the significant decline in tourism activity for many tourism dependent communities as a result of the COVID – 19 pandemic and wishes to help offset the high costs incurred by tourism-oriented businesses. RTO 9 is now accepting applications from tourism businesses located in Leeds & Grenville, Frontenac County, Hastings County and Lennox & Addington. Businesses can apply for a non-repayable grant of up to $20,000.00. Please see link below for eligibility requirements.

For more information, please contact:
Bonnie Ruddock, Executive Director
Region 9 Regional Tourism Organization

South Eastern Ontario Consumer Research – Findings & Insight

Join us for a presentation and moderated discussion on consumer demand for South Eastern Ontario vacation experiences and market profiles based on Twenty31’s latest consumer research study. The session includes a presentation of findings and a Q and A session to allow participants to learn, share and collaborate on marketing ideas for 2021 and beyond.

Presented by Oliver Martin, Twenty31 and Cathy Kirkpatrick, AlphabetBrockville

April 19, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

A few hours ago, the 2021 Ontario budget was announced by Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy. TIAO was pleased to see critical tourism specific support included.

TIAO is pleased that the government has taken on many of our key recommendations and put forward a series of programs that will help the tourism industry survive and thrive when the pandemic is over, specifically;

Ontario Tourism and Hospitality Small Business Support Grant

The Ontario government is introducing a new Ontario Tourism and Hospitality Small Business Support Grant, which will provide an estimated $100 million in a one-time payout of $10,000 to $20,000 to eligible tourism and hospitality small businesses.

The is meant to protect jobs in local communities to help small businesses recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and once again offer world-class tourism and hospitality experiences.

Supporting Jobs – Helping Ontario’s Tourism Industry Rebuild and Recover

The Ontario government is investing $100 million into Ontario Tourism Recovery Program to help tourism operators, anchor businesses and attractions recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

See the full budget here.

See our full response here.

More details to come.

RTO 9 – South Eastern Ontario has partnered with Attractions Ontario this year to help educate the local market and the rest of province on all Region 9 has to offer locals and visiting friends and relatives. RTO 9 – South Eastern Ontario has purchased a 2-page spread that will amplify all of our partner ads and really make our region stand out. We will also have an exclusive regional cover which will be used in market and will add even more awareness to what we all collectively offer. An influencer visit has also been included in the partnership which will be a great way to showcase how safe our region is for locals and visitors alike.

Attractions Ontario in 2020 focused even more on in market distribution and added a digital distribution channel to reach consumers before they leave their home. They saw a 98.6% pick up of the print copies and a 77% open rate which was both well above what was expected during Covid. This year Attractions Ontario has partnered with Metro grocery chains to have an even larger digital distribution channel as it will be going to all their employees. This will greatly increase local awareness. Publications also run throughout the year so the value will be seen well into 2022.

Attractions Ontario has reduced rates by 25% and are offering free coupons with any ad buy.

Please reach out to Phil Casey at phil@attractionsontario.ca for any questions you may have on this program and to book your space.