Be Part of the Region's Third Largest Industry

When the marketing was done to decide if a magazine directed at local people made sense, some incredible statistics were uncovered. We used these statistics to determine what would be best represented in the guide - and what would be most popular to our travelers. This information is being provided here.

2011 Total person visitors per year: 1,655,604
2010 Total person visits per year: 1,291,467

2011 Overnight visits: 626,820
2010 Overnight visits: 697,992

2011 Total Visitor Spending: $136,187,609
2010 Total Visitor Spending: $106,136,437

2011 Main Purpose of Travel
851,203: visit friends and family
610,163: pleasure trip
119,615: business

When Do People Visit?
January - March: 364,377
April - June: 381,142
July - September: 519,843
October - December: 390,242

Where Do Visitors Come From?
Ottawa Carleton: 849,853
Renfrew County: 289,033
Frontenac County: 66,311
Toronto: 40,087
Regional Municipality of Peel: 31,746
Waterloo Regional Municipality: 31,709
Lanark County: 30,635

Nights Spent Per Year: 1,876,927
Average Nights of Total Visits: 1.1
Average Nights of Overnight Visits: 30.

Activities Participated In:
450,677: Any outdoor or sporting activity
51,597: National/Provincial nature parks
40,829: Sports events
22,837: Festivals and Fairs
22,797: Historic Sites
18,426: Museums and art galleries
7,192: Cultural performances

Average Party Size: 2.6

Age of Person Visits:
Under 15 years: 1,554
15 - 24 years old: 176,558
25 - 34 years old: 424,889
35 - 44 years old: 292,092
45 - 54 years old: 246,290
55 - 64 years old: 205,139
65+ years old: 307,812

Itemized Visitor Spending:
Transport: $34,200,095
Accommodation: $122,131,223
Food & Beverage: $49,176,279
Recreation & Entertainment: $12,663,615
Retail & Other: $18,016,361

Source: Travel Survey of Residents, Ontario Ministry of Tourism & Culture, 2011

More Local Resources

For more information on the local tourism industry, we encourage you to visit these organizations:

Ontario Highlands Tourism Association
www.ohto.ca
The Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO) is one of 13 Regional Tourism Organizations created by the Ontario government to increase tourism to the province. The OHTO covers a large region in eastern Ontario which includes the counties of Haliburton, Lanark, and Renfrew and portions of Frontenac, Hastings, and Lennox and Addington. The OHTO’s mandate is to build and support a competitive tourism region through marketing and product development. The OHTO functions in partnership with established and recognized tourism organizations, municipalities and entities within the region to move forward in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. The OHTO operates as a not-for-profit organization and was founded in October 2010.

Ottawa Valley Tourist Association
www.ottawavalley.travel
The Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA) is a non-profit organization designed to stimulate and promote tourism in Renfrew County. OVTA is a membership-based organization. Staff attend events in key areas of drawing non-local tourists, and also organize an annual tourism conference in Renfrew County. OVTA is funded by the municipalities within the County of Renfrew, the City of Pembroke and its members.

Pontiac Tourism
www.tourisme-pontiac.com
MRC Pontiac is a regional arm of government that manages the property bordering the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. Many activities that involve tourism are jointly supported by the Ontario and Quebec sides of the river. MRC Pontiac has a direct website for tourism with information on the businesses and organizations that create the tourism industry. Click here for Pontiac Tourism's video.

Pembroke & Area Airport
www.flycyta.ca
The Pembroke & Area Airport has a 5,000-foot runway and is located just minutes off Trans Canada Highway 17. It's strategic location in the middle of the region helps support flight access to the area. Cars and accommodations can be arranged. The airport currently arranges charter services and is in the process of securing a scheduled passenger serivce to operate from Pembroke to Toronto.

Marketing, Financing and Business Assistance

Forward Thinking Marketing Agency provides consulting work for businesses and organizations in the region. Forward Thinking assists with research, marketing plans, financing options, advertising and campaigns (online, print, radio and video), social media and more. Entrepreneurs and organizations, or those thinking of being in business in the region, are welcome to contact Forward Thinking to discuss marketing efforts.

 

Jennifer Layman, President
Forward Thinking Marketing Agency
2113 Petawawa Boulevard,
Pembroke, Ontario K8A 7G8
Phone: 613-732-7774