Muskoka businesses focus on marketing to bolster tourism year-round

Muskoka Tourism unveiled a plan to bolster visitors to the region during the on and off-peak seasons.

The organization partnered with a tourism consulting firm and received feedback from tourism stakeholders to develop a three-year plan, which places a significant focus on marketing activities to grow exposure year-round.

"So we're actually putting four times more marketing in 2023 compared to 2019," said Val Hamilton, Muskoka Tourism executive director. "We really need to ensure we're increasing our marketing exposure, and we're going to do that by having more tactical campaigns."

During the pandemic, Jayne's Cottages in Port Carling reported a boom in business, but when COVID restrictions loosened and the borders reopened, there was a marginal decrease.

"However, we are seeing the return of our international guests and our guests from abroad who we previously didn't see during the pandemic," said Tina Richards, Jayne's Cottages' senior marketing manager.

The Muskoka business is also promoting the region as a year-round destination to its clientele.

"It's just a fantastic global destination, which I think is really under-appreciated currently, and that's something that we're really trying to make strides in," added Mark Lemkay, Jayne's Cottages' new business manager.

By 2025 when Muskoka Tourism plans to revisit its strategic plan, it hopes to see significant growth throughout the year in the number of visitors and economically.