Thursday, September 24, 2009

Tourism Marketing Ideas

The Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership is hoping to create a buzz on the internet about the wonders Northern Ontario has to offer.

The Corporation has launched a new on-line portal northernontario.travel, with pictures, testimonials and a calander of events.

Spokesperson Chris Milner says they also want to look outside the box to attract more tourists.

Milner says they have also formed great partnerships to promote the area and aligned with Mountain Co-Op across Canada and the Bass Pro Shop chain in Vaughn, Ontario.

Chamber of Commerce Responds to Council

The Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce says its more than willing to work with city council on initiatives that affect local business.

The chamber took time this week to clarify some recent comments it made about the relationship between the city and small business.

Thelma Wilkens-Page is past president of the chamber and says they feel they have a good working relationship with council, but want more input from their members on municipal issues that could affect them.

Wilkens-Page says its important that the chamber remains in close contact with council in order to find out what future initiatives could impact their members.

Council Endorse Jones Road Landfill

Despite the objections of some residents of Black Sturgeon Lake, Kenora City Council has decided to start shipping garbage to the Jones Road Landfill site.

Council voted unanimously last night to use the Silver Lake site for waste starting November 1st.

Dan Olscamp represents Black Sturgeon property owners and says he has concerns about the location of the municipal landfill.

Councillor Dave McCann defended council's decision.

He says the municipality can save almost 200 thousand dollars by taking city garbage to the Jones Road Landfill rather than Winnipeg.

Olscamp had asked council to defer its decision until it could hold a public meeting on the issue.

NOACC Starts today in Fort

The fall meeting of the Northwestern Ontario Associated Chamber of Commerce will be hearing from several provincial government representatives.

The Minister of Revenue, Minister of Northern Development Mines and Forestry are expected to speak at the event.

Kenora Chamber President Dwayne Yaremko says it'll be good for the chambers from across the Northwest to catch up.

Deputy Minister Dave Lindsey and Kenora Property Developer John Gale are also possible speakers and have yet to confirm.

Arson Project Kenora

The City of Kenora is going to be involved in a pilot project aimed at reducing arson incidents.

Fire Chief Warren Brinkman says they will be launching a campaignin the next couple weeks asking retailers to restrict the sale of matchesand lighters to youth under the age of 16.

Kenora is one of seven cities across Canada involved in the campaign.

Brinkman says millions of dollars in damage is done each year by kids playing with matches or setting fires.

Market Northwestern Ontario

Look outside the box to capitalize on the resources we have here in Northwestern Ontario.

That message was delivered in Dryden by Berkeley Young, an American based specialist in Travel-Tourism research and marketing.

Young says visitors want to escape and don't want local issues impacting their visit.

He adds, instead of focusing on the usual markets, looking outside to markets in the Southern United States.

Young points out that Charlotte is growing 60 to 70-thousand people a year and is full of outdoor entusiasts who like to hunt and fish.

By Pass Accident

The driver of a semi-tractor trailor unit has been charged in connection with an accident that closed a section of the Kenora By-Pass for about six hours yesterday.

The OPP say the driver of an eastbound vehicle had to take action to avoid a head-on collision with a west-bound semi-tractor trailor unit.

The truck had crossed into the eastbound lane and side-swiped the passenger vehicle causing the driver to lose control.

The tractor trailor left the road and landed on its side in the ditch.

There were no serious injuries reported.

The truck driver has been charged with careless driving as a result of the collision.

Government Tourism

The Assistant Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Tourism says the implementation of the Sorbara Report should take place in April 2010.

The Final Regional Tourism Strategy was released in February.

Michael Kurts says the Government is still working with industry stakeholders on establishing regions, boundaries and funding allocations.

Kurts adds they want one organization in place in each region to handle marketing and tourism issues and notes 40-million dollars has been allocated.

He says after speaking with groups across Ontario, they have determined that funding should be tied to the level of tourism activity in each area, but notes it should be sensitive to some areas that need assistance.

Lawyer Fined for being late

A Superior Court justice in Thunder Bay was so irritated by a lawyer's ``habitual lateness'' he decided to hit him in the pocketbook.

After lawyer Leon Nicol arrived late for two hearings last month on a trial matter, Justice Patrick Smith decided to fine him 250-dollars.

Smith noted that more than a warning was needed to get the message across that lawyers must be on time when court is scheduled to start.

Nicol said he was ``disappointed'' with the outcome, but immediately paid the fine.