Durham Tourism
Industry
Report
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Connecting, engaging and informing Durham Tourism's valued stakeholders
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Greetings from Durham Tourism
We have so many great things to share with you in this issue of the Durham Tourism Industry Report. It’s packed with everything from good news to unique partnerships to sad goodbyes!
After enjoying this summer reading, take a few minutes to:
- Register your event for the 10th anniversary of Culture Days, taking place September 27 to 29.
- Submit your upcoming events to our free, online events calendar.
- Tag us in your photos or use #DurhamTourism to be featured on our Instagram channel!
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Tourism Industry Highlights
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Lisa MacLeod named Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
In a late June cabinet shuffle, the Honourable Lisa MacLeod was named Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for the Province of Ontario. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport is dedicated to: “improving quality of life and promoting economic growth by supporting and delivering tourism and cultural experiences, supporting the arts and cultural industries and championing participation in sport and recreation activities across Ontario.”
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Partnership makes Brock St. part of the CTMP fan experience
Brock St. Brewing Company and
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) have embarked on a unique partnership. The craft brewery is featured at CTMP’s Turn1 Beer Garden for four major race events during the 2019 season. The two brands have also partnered by creating a unique product, available only at CTMP.
Brock Street’s 61 Lager features the brewery’s award-winning Blonde Lagered Ale, presented in an exclusive tall-can, with a retro motorsport design honouring the racing culture and history of the track. The name pays homage to the year in which Mosport opened. In addition to 61 Lager, Brock St.’s award-winning Irish Red and Bohemian Pilsner will be available for racing fans to enjoy.
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Schitt happened. Now it's time to say goodbye!
They were a wealthy family who lost everything. Forced to move to a hotel they had bought (as a joke) in a small town, they went from downtrodden evictees to passionate community members, embracing the town, both fictional and real. By now you know that the beloved Canadian comedy series
Schitt’s Creek is entering its sixth and final season this coming winter. While we’re sad to see the hit show go, the impact it’s had on Durham Region is huge, and for that we say thank you! To the cast and crew, we’ll miss you!
Uxbridge’s picturesque community of Goodwood was the real-life location for the fictional community of Schitt’s Creek. The hamlet has become a must-see destination for self-described “Schittheads” (die-hard show fans) and an
economic boost for both the hamlet and the surrounding area. Key sites including Bob’s Garage (a private workshop), Rose Apothecary (
Romni Wools, a knitting shop), Café Tropical (a private residence) and the Schitt’s Creek Town Hall are located in Goodwood. Several surrounding areas and sites also stood in as
locations throughout the series. The famous Rosebud Motel is in fact a hotel located just west of Uxbridge in Hockley Valley. Local businesses benefited from the show as well, with bakery
Annina’s Bakeshop providing catering for several seasons.
The town has also benefited from
film tourism, with fans from around the globe visiting Goodwood during filming. Durham Region plays an important role in Ontario's film sector, with approximately $137 million in production activity from 2015 to 2018. Film tourism is growing in the region and is a great opportunity to showcase Durham and the
opportunities available for the film sector throughout the region.
Schitt’s Creek picked up several accolades recently at the Canadian Screen Awards, taking home the prize for Best Comedy Series, while Catherine O’Hara received an award for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy, for the third consecutive year.
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Achieving success through teamwork and partnership
The report was launched following the Central Counties Tourism AGM, which brought together nearly 100 members at the Markham Pan Am Centre in late June. Presentations included the past year’s initiatives and what's on the horizon for 2019-20, as well as an update from Assistant Deputy Minister, Richard McKinnell from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Congratulations to Lori Bowers and the Township of Scugog for being selected as the
2019 Member Spotlight Recipient for Durham.
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Durham Tourism partners with Cooper Gallant
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Stay tuned for exciting contest announcements and tag your fishing photos with #fishingdurham.
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Durham Region International Film Festival returns this fall
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Three days. Five amazing programs jam-packed with films spanning Durham Region and across the globe. The Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) lights up the screen on
October 3, 4, and 5 at three incredible cultural and educational venues. Join us at Oshawa's
Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Whitby's
Station Gallery and
Durham College's Centre for Collaborative Education to experience hand-picked films to engage and expand the imagination. Enjoy short films, features, documentaries and animations. Submissions are open until
August 5 and the lineup of films will be released in September, followed by ticket sales. For volunteer inquiries, email
volunteer@driff.ca.
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Your Voice Durham: New engagement platform promotes citizen involvement in new Strategic Plan
The Region of Durham is currently developing its five-year strategic plan and has launched a new digital engagement platform to encourage conversation and community participation—anytime, anywhere. Residents can visit the site to complete an online survey, find out about upcoming public engagement sessions, including town halls, pop-up events and where they can find a paper copy of the survey and local drop-box. Visit
durham.ca/YourVoice for more information.
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Supporting Canadian Tourism in reaching new heights
Tourism is booming in Canada. A powerful economic engine, it supports one in 10 jobs in Canada.
- Providing funding through the Canadian Experiences Fund.
- Developing Tourism Investment Groups, where all levels of government will collaborate, enabling the development of promising tourism products and identifying ways to increase private investment.
- Creating the Tourism Industry Economic Strategy Table, which will provide a platform for government and industry to collaborate on overcoming sector challenges.
The $58.5-million
Canadian Experiences Fund is intended to develop and enhance tourism products and experiences in five segments: winter and shoulder-season tourism, rural and remote tourism, Indigenous tourism, LGBTQ2 tourism and culinary tourism.
The
Tourism Industry Association of Canada notes that the strategy presents “an opportunity for Canada to tap into the full potential of the tourism sector as a major driver of communities across the country, particularly small and rural communities where over half of tourism jobs are based.”
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Bowmanville Marina
The Bowmanville Marina (previously called Port Darlington Marina) is under new ownership. Located on the picturesque shores of Lake Ontario, the marina has something to offer everyone. A knowledgeable marina team and attentive concierge, and a wide range of
marina services are available to make sure boaters’ and anglers’ day on the water is just right. The marina has a beautiful event space, available for weddings and special events. Meanwhile, there is always something fun happening on site, from festivals to fireworks. Guests will find their happy place as they sit back and relax at
The Deck Bar and Grill, with great food, good company, and a cold beverage in hand–life is good!
Finally, the marina’s newly refurbished guest rooms at the
Bowmanville Marina Inn & Suites offer a bright and modern place to relax and unwind. All of the inn’s rooms feature fully equipped bathrooms, 45” flat screen smart TVs, air conditioning, complimentary high-speed internet, ample parking, and 24-hour security. The team wants to create the best experience possible and looks forward to turning moments into memories for clients and guests!
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July/August 2019
Keep these upcoming sport events on your 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.
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Durham College, Oshawa; men’s and women’s individual and synchronized trampoline, tumbling, and double mini-trampoline.
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Iroquois Park Sports Centre, Whitby; with 507 teams, approximately 9,950 athletes and an estimated attendance of 55,000.
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Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville; approximately 30,525 attendees.
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Connect and engage with Durham Tourism and Sport Durham on our social media pages:
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