Northeastern Ontario tourism gets marketing boost

A provincial group is trying to bring more tourists to northeastern Ontario this winter.

The president and CEO of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation said his group is actively selling the region through travel shows and international marketing efforts.

Ronald Holgerson said visitors want to see picturesque winter landscapes.

“We have holiday season card-quality scenery with beautiful landscapes, and fir trees covered in snow, and long expanses of pure white and pristine snow,” he said.

“Just the beauty of the landscape is something tourists appreciate.”

Holgerson said traditional winter activities, such as ice fishing and snowmobiling, remain popular.

But new activities, like winter cycling, are gaining traction.

The group is also promoting northern Ontario in its new publication.

Titled Explore the Possibilities in Northern Ontario, the magazine is being distributed to domestic and international travel shows.

“We are seeing more interest in experiencing winter. [For example], we had a familiarization tour here a couple of weeks ago with journalists from the United States — and they went dog sledding,” he said.

“They were out of their minds with excitement.”

Below is the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership's 2014-2015 marketing strategy plan: