Following approval of the five-year strategic economic development plan by County Council in December of 2015, the Department of Economic Development has been charting a new course for tourism promotion in Huron County. Tourism is identified in the plan as one of seven key growth sectors and is therefore being resourced as a priority by the department.
To highlight our region’s signature visitor experiences and enhance the appeal of our destinations, tourism is being combined with arts and culture. While staple tourism programs will continue in 2017, such as the Ontario’s West Coast brand and the annual OWC Guide, several new and complementary initiatives are planned, including:
- The establishment of a Tourism, Arts and Culture Enabling Committee comprised of industry representatives, Huron County Economic Development Board members and staff of the Department of Economic Development. The mandate of the committee will be to work in partnership with the communities that have identified tourism, arts and culture as a key sector in their local economic development strategies;
- Responding to marketplace demands, the 2017 Ontario’s West Coast Guide will be created in a format that utilizes best-practices in terms of design, information and online accessibility;
- The Ontario’s West Coast brand will remain in place for 2017. Following an industry best-practice to periodically evaluate a brand’s effectiveness, a review of the Ontario’s West Coast brand will be scheduled to occur in the near future;
- The County will proudly continue to promote specific tourism opportunities online using Ontario’s West Coast assets, including the e-newsletter, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram properties; and,
- The County will hold roundtable discussions with industry, stakeholders and other levels of government to support tourism, arts and culture in Huron County.
Over the coming months, more information will be made available as the Department of Economic Development powers forward in delivering on its strategic objectives and our slogan:
“Huron County: More than you imagined…”