The Regional Tourism Organization (RTO) program was developed to fund organizations that act in the best interest and promote and coordinate tourism activities with the entirety of the region. RTOs enhance the economic impact of the tourism sector by leveraging partnerships and collaboration across the entire industry. RTOs cannot divide funding proportionally among participating Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) or communities and must be used to support the region as a whole.
The Province strongly encourages RTOs to work with all tourism partners including other regions, sector-based organizations, municipalities, and other organizations on matters of mutual interest. Strong partnerships and a coordinated approach are vital to the future sustainability of tourism across the province.
1. Each investment brought forward for consideration would;
a. Include metrics to measure ROI on the investment.
b. Present a full description of the investment with timelines, partners and marketing opportunities
c. Present a complete budget with all sources of revenue and detailed expenses
2. Funding application requests will have a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $100,000 for any one investment.
3. Projects/events must be supported in writing by the appropriate DMO and align to the DMO’s overall marketing strategy.
4. TPN will only support costs related to marketing, promotion and/or animation of the destination.
5. Each investment to be vetted by TPN staff who will present their recommendations for approval by the TPN Board.
6. Approvals are conditional and subject to TPN’s review and approval of marketing plans.
7. The TPN may assist in harvesting assets, deploying communications and tactical plans.
8. Funding Agreement to be executed with each investment outlining the conditions attached for support
9. Board Reporting required to report on the success of the agreed to metrics, within 30 days of the event.
TPN will accept applications at any time, however the following the guidelines will be applied for the fiscal period of:
April 01, 2023 – March 31, 2024
TPN will accept applications on or before Oct. 30, 2023, for the current fiscal period.
100% of the budget will be available.
TPN is proud to work in collaboration with the following DMO partners. For your application to be considered, you must receive a letter of recommendation from your respective DMO. DMO partners are:
As you discover Niagara Benchlands’ parks and trails, sample creations from its countless tastemakers, and step into the region’s fascinating stories, you’ll quickly sense the unique fingerprint that the Niagara Escarpment forges on every aspect of life there.
Rooted in exceptional nature and culture, with an offering of over 50 craft wineries to discover, there are countless ways to experience Niagara’s other natural wonder.
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