A move is on to encourage tourists coming to Hastings County to stay longer and spend more.
A report to County Council this week shows a need to support marketing of new and existing experiences to encourage longer stays and more spending, especially during the the winter and what’s called the “shoulder months.”
With funding support through Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization, Hastings County coordinated a virtual Experiential Tourism Training Program in 2021.
It brought together close to a dozen local tourism operators.
The report says most operators are open to the concept of partnering with others to enhance the offerings, including overnight stays.
Staff recommended a funding request of $15,000 to the Regional Tourism Relief Fund to help cover the expense of making enhancements to the website Hastings.ca (i.e. interactive map and interactive directory) that clearly highlights purchasable experiences and attractions across the fourteen member municipalities.
The funding will also help to offset costs of marketing the experiences and directing target audiences to Hastings.ca.
This now goes to County Council for final approval.
