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Bistro '67, W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, Durham College, Whitby
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Greetings from Durham Tourism
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It has been a busy spring so far, and there is no sign that things will be slowing down as we look ahead to the summer! This month, Industry Insights has lots of great news to share, from an
annual celebration of culture across our eight municipalities, to new
initiatives for main street businesses, to exciting
new events coming to the region! All that and more awaits you in this issue.
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Tourism Industry Highlights
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Register for the 2018 Culture Days weekend
Culture Days, a three-day celebration of the arts, is taking place across the region from
September 28 to 30. Durham Tourism is once again encouraging all interested artists, event producers and arts organizations in Durham Region to
register their Culture Days event for the annual Culture Days weekend. You can register online, both at
durhamtourism.ca and
culturedays.ca.
Durham Region is proud to be a part of the national celebration, which will see hundreds of thousands of artists and cultural organizations, in hundreds of cities and towns, come together to share their cultural spirit and passion.
All events across Durham Region are free, and offer the chance to discover the world of artists, creators, historians, architects, curators and designers at work in their local communities. Don't miss out on registering for the ninth edition of Culture Days in Durham Region.
Note:
Register during the Spring Registration Promotion
(before June 8)
for a chance to be one of five event organizers from across Canada to receive a Culture Days promo package, including:
- A Culture365 feature blog profile all about you and your event.
- A spotlight write-up in the Culture Days newsletter.
- Social media posts, across all platforms, about your event.
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Ontario helping main street businesses
The Government of Ontario recently announced their support of modernizing main street businesses across the province. The Main Street Digital Initiative will help small businesses improve their digital capabilities, tapping into the latest digital trends such as creating an online store, becoming more mobile-friendly, and promoting their business through social media.
The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) will administer the initiative, expanding and complementing an existing digital main street program currently available in Toronto, to small businesses across the province. Services include digital training, one-on-one assistance and digital assessments, digital transformation training and grants, and web platforms. To learn more about this initiative visit the
Ontario Newsroom.
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A Taste of Durham Region
On
April 23, innovators from the hospitality and tourism fields, including chefs, hoteliers, drink experts, writers and business leaders came together to celebrate all things food at the annual
Terroir Symposium, held at the AGO. Durham Tourism worked with chef Anna Mae Crespo and students from Durham College's W. Galen Weston Centre for Food to create a number of innovative breakfast items. Local products were sourced to create dishes, such as Kendal Hills Game Farm Chicken and Waffles, Bistro '67 Granola and Crosswind Farms Goat Yogurt Parfait, and a Butter Tart Doughnut.
Hosted by the Culinary Tourism Alliance, the symposium offers a unique program of panel discussions, keynote presentations and master classes sharing insights, ideas and experiences on how to leverage what comes from our lands, lakes and oceans.
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Patio pilot coming to Port Perry
Scugog's Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee (EDATAC) is spearheading a temporary seasonal patio project in downtown Port Perry. From the May long weekend to Thanksgiving, five local businesses will see four temporary patios placed in the parking stalls in front of their location. It is hoped that the project will increase foot traffic along Queen and Water streets to enhance the shopping experience. Patios will be constructed in front of:
EDATAC has recognized tourism as one of the top economic drivers for Port Perry. It is hoped that this pilot project will increase foot traffic downtown; both local residents and tourists. All of the patios will fit into the Heritage Conservation District in downtown Port Perry.
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Are you one of Durham's unique places or spaces?
With its choice settings and close proximity to Toronto, the second largest production centre in North America, film production activity in Durham has been growing steadily, increasing in value from $19.7 million (2012) to $29.8 million (2015).
Due to the growing need for diverse settings, the region provides location managers with a vast number of
ideal sites for filming.
Durham Region's Economic Development and Tourism Division would like to market Durham's existing natural and cultural heritage assets, to grow film production in the region and enhance film tourism.
If you are interested in showcasing your place to production companies please contact Eileen Kennedy, Film Durham Liaison at 905-668-4113 ext. 2617 or 289-927-7119.
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Celebrate Tourism Week in Canada
Did you know that the tourism industry is responsible for one out of every 10 jobs in Canada? Celebrated annually in the last week of May, from
May 27 to June 2, Tourism Week in Canada celebrates this important economic driver and highlights the opportunities available across the country.
In Ontario, tourism accounts for 186,000 businesses, about 389,000 jobs and 141 million in annual visits, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Here in Durham, tourism brings more than three million visitors to the region each year, who contribute over $200 million to the area. Visit the
Tourism Industry Association of Canada's website for more information on Tourism Week and why #TourismMatters.
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Apply for an Ontario Tourism Award of Excellence
Nominations for the 2018 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence are now open! Does your business embody the spirit of tourism in Ontario? The awards recognize those who have made significant contributions to Ontario's tourism industry. If you're at the forefront of sustainable tourism; if sharing the story of our food and our land is your passion; or if you're passionate about enhancing tourism in your local community, consider applying for one of three categories:
- Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence. Awards are available in eight categories.
- Tourism Marketing and Travel Media Awards of Excellence (Destination Ontario). Awards are available in seven categories.
- The 2018 Culinary Tourism Awards of Excellence. Are you passionate about sharing your story and advancing the culinary tourism movement in Ontario? Awards for the 2018 Culinary Tourism awards are available in three categories: Culinary Tourism Leadership Excellence, Culinary Tourism Experience Excellence and Culinary Tourism Event of the Year.
Detailed information and applications are available online. The application deadline for all awards is June 29.
The awards are jointly presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), Destination Ontario, the Culinary Tourism Alliance and Attractions Ontario.
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Growing cultural tourism in Ontario
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport recently announced they will be investing $6 million over three years into the
Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund. This will continue to grow cultural tourism in the province of Ontario. This funding will help arts and cultural organizations in developing, promoting and presenting unique events and exhibitions to visitors across Ontario.
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Tourism responsible for one in five jobs globally
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) recently released their
Economic Impact Research, showing that the travel and tourism industry accounted for the creation of seven million jobs worldwide in 2017. This amounts to one in five jobs globally. WTCC conducts a global analysis and research on the economic importance of travel and tourism, in partnership with Oxford Economics. Other highlights from the latest report include:
- Tourism was found to be the fastest growing broad economic sector globally.
- Travel and tourism outperformed the global economy for the seventh consecutive year.
- Tourism contributes US$8.6 trillion to global Gross Domestic Product (GDP); 313 million jobs around the world; and US$1.5 trillion in exports.
Visit WTTC's website for more information on their Economic Impact Research, and view the
Country Reports
to see how Canada measures up.
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What's new in Sport Tourism?
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Sport Event Radar
Take advantage of Sport Durham's monthly sport events radar to ensure that your business is prepared to welcome incoming athletes and visitors to Durham Region during key sport events!
Keep the following event on your radar for this month:
- Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend, May 18 to 20, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville. Featuring the NASCAR Pinty's Series and the Pirelli World Challenge Series. More than 42,500 spectators attend over the course of the weekend.
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Pro Bass Elite Tour coming to Lake Scugog
The Competitive Sport Fishing League's (CSFL)
Pro Bass Elite Tour is coming to Port Perry's Lake Scugog on
June 27 and will feature a live broadcast of the individual angler event. Fishing fans will have the opportunity to watch a livestream of the event on
CSFL's Facebook page.
Fishing Durham has partnered with National Pro Staff (NPS) Fishing, the world's leading social network for fishing. Anglers can connect with one another, share pictures and videos, and check out fishing locations in their area. Check out and follow the
Fishing Durham page on this fantastic resource.
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Connect and engage with
Durham Tourism and Sport Durham!
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Connect and engage with Durham Tourism and Sport Durham on our social media pages:
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