Tourism industry stakeholders will gather in Sault Ste. Marie this fall during the 2023 Northern Ontario Tourism Summit.
Slated to take place Nov. 14-16, the annual conference brings together operators, communities, advisors, and other participants to discuss industry trends. Registration is expected to open soon.
The event is an initiative of Destination Northern Ontario, one of the province’s 13 regional tourism organizations, operating in the area north of the French River, west of the Ottawa River to the Manitoba border, and north to the saltwater coast.
Its role is to promote, improve and expand tourism offerings across the North.
According to DNO, tourism in Northern Ontario generates $1.6 billion and contributes $450 million to Ontario’s annual GDP. One in every four businesses in Northern Ontario is tourism-related, while one in every five jobs is tourism-related.
More recently, DNO has launched a new marketing campaign to tout the benefits of careers in the tourism industry. The organization is currently developing a tool kit for educators to use in guiding youth and adults interested in transitioning to a career in tourism.