Simcoe Muskoka businesses thrive with summer tourism boom

Businesses across Simcoe Muskoka welcome the summer boost to local tourism as the season starts to wind down.

"We're seeing some really high occupancy levels. These levels of visitation are pre-pandemic. People want to get out. Our businesses are taking advantage of that. They are busy. Our events are sold out," says Kris Puhvel, Orillia and Lake Country Tourism executive director.

The Port of Orillia has been a significant part of that, hosting more than 250 boats from south of the border, compared to the just 14 American vessels that arrived in 2021.

"The return of American boaters here at the Port of Orillia has really made a difference. We are at 2019 levels," says Allan Lafontaine, executive director of the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce.

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Local hotel staff have resorted to creative measures to keep up with demand, asking guests at check-in how often they would need service to staff accordingly.

"I would say 95 per cent of our guests did not want any service throughout their stay. That helped us on productivity," he says.

And the summer boom isn't expected to cool anytime soon.

"Usually after Labour Day, occupancy drops down about 20 per cent, but weekly it picks up depending on the weather. It goes all the way to Thanksgiving weekend. Then after Thanksgiving, we get a lot of hockey teams," adds Shan Wickremasinghe, general manager at Sunray Group of Hotels.