Who We Are

Central Counties Tourism was established as a regional tourism organization in 2010 under a framework developed by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, following the completion of the Ontario Tourism Competitiveness Study. Our mandate is to identify sustainable best product and practices that will build a stronger and more competitive tourism industry within the region. We are funded by the Ontario Government and managed as a not-for-profit organization by a voluntary tourism industry board.

pdf-icon RTO Guide for 2017-18

Central Counties Tourism works with the existing tourism offices within the regions of York and Durham, and Headwaters, who are each responsible for product development and marketing to tourism consumers within the local municipalities. Our mission is to increase tourism in the region by promoting and developing unique and competitive tourism products that attract high yield visitors from outside the Central Counties region.

Central Counties Map

What We Do

Central Counties Guiding Documents

Central Counties is guided by a Board approved Destination Management Plan and Business Plan. These documents provide the framework for our objectives which guide the organization towards our ultimate strategic direction under each of our key pillars.

2019-2020 Business Plan

2018-2019 Business Plan

Central Counties Impact Report 2017-18

Central Counties Tourism Strategic Plan 2018-2020

Central Counties Impact Report 2016-2017

2017-2018 Business Plan

2017-2018-Business-Plan-Objectives

Central Counties Audience Research 2017

Central Counties Destination Management Plan 2015-17

Regional Tourism Organization Guide 2017-18

Marketing

Central Counties Tourism develops marketing and communication plans to highlight the region’s unique offerings. We help promote the region by developing brand, web, and digital strategy.

Product/Experience Development

Central Counties Tourism identifies, enhances and builds the region’s tourism offerings that appeal to our ideal guests: Connected_Explorers; Up_and_Coming_Explorers; Knowledge_Seekers; and, Nature_Lovers. Central Counties is focused on developing the tourism experiences in our identified categories that motivate people to visit the region: Four Season Outdoors; Small Towns, Villages and Rural Landscapes; Golf; Meetings and Conventions; and, Sport Tourism.

Industry Research

Central Counties Tourism provides up-to-date research on visitation, tourism trends, audience profiles, and the regional/sub-regional economic impact of tourism to provide operators with valuable insights into who is coming and why, and provide municipalities and DMO’s with information to highlight tourism as recognized and key economic driver.

Investment Attraction

Central Counties Tourism is the champion of regional tourism investment attraction and the catalyst and facilitator of investment discussions. Attracting more visitors to the region leads to increased tourism receipts and is aligned with attracting investors to develop more tourism assets.

Governance/Industry Relations

Central Counties Tourism works to connect with, listen to and educate stakeholders about tourism and how they can benefit by providing opportunities to leverage their resources and demonstrating the benefits of working collaboratively with other operators, partners and individuals who support and/or benefit from tourism.

Industry Equipping

Central Counties Tourism is heavily focused on ensuring that operators have the knowledge and understanding of the industry to embrace tourism as a viable source of revenue. Central Counties acts to provide tourism stakeholders with information, tools and resources to be tourism-ready, informed, effective and service-oriented tourism providers.