Destination BC is providing $4.2 million to support 84 tourism projects across British Columbia this year through its Co-operative Marketing Partnerships Program, to continue to foster a collaborative “Team BC” approach to tourism marketing and further support the sector as it recovers.

Learn more here >

• British Columbia’s tourism industry generated revenue of $22.3 billion in 2019, an increase of 5.8% over 2018, and a 67.8% increase from 2009.
• In 2019, British Columbia’s tourism industry employed 130,300 people. This means that tourism provided a job for roughly 1 out of every 16 people employed in the province.
• In 2019, tourism contributed more to GDP than any other primary resource industry. (Tourism: $7.4B, mining: $5.0B, oil & gas: $4.8B, forestry & logging: $1.6B, and agriculture & fishing: $3.3B.)
• Tourism has been a key economic driver and one of BC’s competitive strengths in the world economy.
• Tourism strengthens international perceptions of British Columbia, which has positive impacts on trade and investment, international education, and immigration.
• Most tourism businesses buy goods locally, hire locally, and retain their profits locally. The economic impact is and will continue to be significant.
  
  Source: Destination BC
  

​Due to circumstances caused by the recent storm and State of Emergency announced for the region, the deadline for the Peterborough & the Kawarthas "Spark" Program has been extended to allow more time for local tourism businesses to apply.

Please note the application deadline is now MONDAY, JUNE 20th.

Entrepreneurs, small businesses and non-profits are encouraged to come forward with creative ideas that will generate new tourism opportunities, offerings, experiences and partnerships in the region.

Selected applicants will receive a $3,000 seed grant, mentorship and additional partner support to help them get started with their new tourism ideas.

For more information visit www.tourisminnovation.ca/Peterborough​. 

This video features Cheryl Haskett from Udderly Ridiculous, one of our three 2021 Oxford County "Spark" Program winners. They developed and launched unique farm life tourism experiences in Oxford County.

If you are thinking about applying to our Peterborough & the Kawarthas "Spark" Program, check this video out for inspiration!

In February 2022, our parent organization Hackforge launched C3Tech in collaboration with The City of Windsor Bicycle Committee, the County Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS), and local technology consulting firm Parallel 42 Systems. The Tourism Innovation Lab is excited to support and collaborate on this initiative that will create digital tools to enhance cycle tourism development, planning and navigation in our home region of Windsor Essex. 

Short for “City-County Cycling Technology,” C3Tech aims to leverage open source software to create digital tools that will make navigating Windsor and Essex County by bike safer, easier, and more fulfilling. The starting points for these tools are currently available at WindsorEssexCycling.ca, and are based on CyclOSM and BRouter.

C3Tech Hackathon winners announced!

Check out the winning submission from the recent C3Tech Hackathon. This beta site offers the opportunity to add "no go" roads in Windsor Essex, resulting in safer cycling routes across the region. Stay tuned for more updates.

​Ontario Culture Days​ annual symposium returns June 8 & 9, 2022.

ON-Ramp: New Horizons in Cultural Tourism will take place in-person, with key presentations streamed online. Come listen to experts and participate in workshops on regenerative tourism, diversity and inclusion, and effective business and program planning strategies.

The symposium will explore how our sectors can improve the cultural tourism industry for visitors, employees, artists, cultural producers and our local communities. 

Register here >

TIAO Webinar Series: Building Inclusive Tourism
June 8: Advancing Our Knowledge, Always Learning

Join the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario by registering for each webinar in their monthly series on Building Inclusive Tourism. On Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at 12PM, they are presenting "Advancing Our Knowledge, Always Learning".

Session Information:

In January, participants learned about the importance of why we need to support having more Indigenous people in the Tourism Economy, in their session "Enriching the Original Hosts of the Land".

How have we done in the last 5 months and what are the next steps in advancing our knowledge and understanding?​ What does it mean? Going beyond the Land Acknowledgement?  ​

Learn alongside us as we gain knowledge by listening to the experts share how we can take the next steps in supporting having more Indigenous people in the Tourism Economy.​

Register here >

The Ontario LGBT+ advisory team is developing a strategy to enhance Ontario’s status as a destination for LGBT+ travellers. Please complete the survey and share with your networks and contacts who may be able to give input; the industry's and other allied voices will be instrumental to the development of this strategy which will guide decisions on LGBT+ product for Ontario.

Click here to complete the survey >

The "Spark" Mentorships & Grants Program​ will be expanding to new regions in British Columbia and Ontario 2022. Stay tuned for announcements. 

​Join our "Spark" Mentor Network and support up-and-coming and early stage tourism innovators in Canada by providing advice and guidance to help them take their new tourism ideas to the next level of development. Contact us at [email protected]​ for more information on the program and how you can be a mentor.