share

Local Tourism Organizations Receive Funding to Support Recovery Efforts

June 25, 2020
By Kevin Lajoie

Cornwall Ontario — Cornwall Tourism and SDG Tourism will receive a combined $258,506 in funding from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) to support economic recovery efforts in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Business News

The funding is part of a $30 million Regional Relief and Recovery Fund provided by FedDev Ontario to support destination marketing organizations across southern Ontario that have experienced revenue shortfalls since the start of the pandemic. Along with providing financial relief, the funds will also be used to support marketing efforts to encourage visitor and economic activity as the provincial economy continues to safely reopen.

“We are thrilled with this investment in our local tourism sector,” said Cornwall Mayor Bernadette Clement. “These funds will help support our local recovery efforts and encourage people to explore all of the amazing things our region has to offer.”

“We are very excited to be one of the destination marketing organizations to receive funding from the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) provided by FedDev Ontario. The hospitality and tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19, and this funding will allow us to assist local tourism assets on the road to recovery. The people and businesses of SDG are no strangers to hard work, and it is that dedication and work ethic that will get is through these difficult times,” added SDG Counties Warden Frank Prevost.

Cornwall Tourism will receive $180,142 through the program while SDG Tourism will receive $78,364.

The funds will support marketing efforts in a staged approach with an initial focus on hyper-local activity (explore your own community) followed by more regional and provincial efforts. The two tourism offices are working on a number of collaborative projects to promote the region to both locals and visitors, including a new cycling adventure map.

“Our tourism industry and the 1.8 million people it employs across Canada haven been hit hard by COVID-19, and we’re here for them,” said Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “This important partnership between FedDev Ontario and TIAO will help more people discover the wonders of their own backyards. Our message to the tourism sector and those whose livelihoods depend on it is clear: we’ve been here for you with significant measures, we’re here for you now as our economy reopens and we’ll get through this, together. We’re working with you to support good jobs and help tourism come back strong.”

About Cornwall Tourism

Cornwall Tourism is responsible for marketing Cornwall to attract new visitors. The office maintains a visitor information centre year-round at the Civic Complex. CornwallTourism.com is an online resource that provides current tourism news as well as a comprehensive calendar of events.

You can follow Cornwall Tourism online:

Web: www.CornwallTourism.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CornwallOntarioTourism
Twitter: @TourismCornwall

About the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO)
TIAO serves as the unifying voice of tourism in Ontario, with a membership collectively representing 188,000 businesses and 391,000 employees. TIAO works proactively with stakeholders to resolve policy issues facing Ontario’s tourism industry. For more information on TIAO, visit www.tiaontario.ca.

About the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund
The Government of Canada has introduced measures to support sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF), launched on May 13.

The $962-million fund, being delivered through Canada’s regional development agencies, aims to support businesses and tourism SMEs across Canada that have been unable to access existing federal relief measures.

Business Reopening Toolkit

Cornwall Economic Development has put together a toolkit to help businesses reopen. The toolkit includes guidelines and a maximum occupancy calculator along with signs and posters that can be downloaded and printed – along with the new Ontario guide: