Tourism Windsor Essex Receives Necessary Funds to Help Stabilize the Organization
Local Destination Marketing Organization Begins Restart Phase for the Industry
WINDSOR, ON – On Thursday June 25th it was announced that Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island was awarded funding through the Regional Relief and Recover Fund (RRRF), part of the $30 million issued by FedDev Ontario and administered by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island was awarded $629,788.40 as part of the fund.
The RRRF was created to provide financial support to destination marketing organizations (DMOs) across southern Ontario like Tourism Windsor Essex that have experienced significant revenue shortfalls since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. DMOs are an integral part of local tourism economies, and will help drive visitors back into local communities as our provincial economy reopens safely. This influx of visitors will help generate new revenues for tourism dependent operators, and will be the catalyst for economic recovery across the province.
“I want to thank Minister Mélanie Joly, our Hon. Member Irek Kusmierczyk, TIAO and FedDev Ontario for providing us core business funding, and allowing us to continue to market our tourism assets to a hyper-local market” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island. “This is the summer of the staycation, and these necessary and welcome funds will allow us to promote our tourism assets to the people of Windsor Essex in hopes they will support local.”
“Tourism is a key driver of our regional economy in Windsor-Essex, and this timely funding from our federal government allows organizations like Tourism Windsor Essex to help our tourism sector and the many businesses that depend on it recover from COVID-19 and stand strong in our region” said Irek Kusmierczyk, Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh and Parliamentary Secretary of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.
As the regions official destination marketing organization, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island looks forward to working collaboratively within a united visitor industry. We will help the tourism and hospitality sector economies rebound as they start to re-open and welcome visitors and locals alike back in to their establishments as we enter Stage 2 of the provinces Framework for Reopening.
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Media Contact:
Jason Toner
Director of Marketing & Communications | Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island
519-819-4039
[email protected]
Additional quotes:
“Our tourism industry and the 1.8 million people it employs across Canada have been hit hard by COVID-19, and we’re here for them. 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.”
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
“We’re delighted to confirm today the names of the destination marketing organizations (DMOs) that will receive funding from the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.
This financial support will help DMOs to communicate with travellers about the wide and diverse tourism offer throughout our province. It will help to showcase the extensive health and safety precautions being taken by businesses and operators as we move with caution reopen our economy and rebuild trust with domestic and international travellers.
TIAO would like to thank Minister Joly and FedDev Ontario for their commitment to supporting the tourism industry whilst we navigate these unprecedented times.”
– Beth Potter, Chief Executive and President of TIAO
