2025-2026 Marketing Initiatives

RTO 9’s Marketing Objective for 2025-2026 was to increase awareness of Ontario and South Eastern Ontario as a travel destination and increase conversion in target markets to directly support tourism economic development by enhancing awareness of Ontario and South Eastern Ontario as premier travel destinations and drive visitor engagement in target markets, directly contributing to tourism-driven economic growth by:

- Showcasing the unique destinations and experiences within the South Eastern Ontario brand.
- Inspiring visitors with fresh and innovative ways to explore the region’s offerings.

In collaboration with Tourism Kingston, Destination Ontario & RTO 9, this marketing campaign targeted the Quebec market in spring 2025. The goal was to encourage repeat visitation and increased expenditures from this important drive market with easy access into South Eastern Ontario. Creative messaging was delivered in French, reinforced experiences in Kingston.

PARTNER SPECIFIC MARKET TARGETING:
Montreal, and additional population centres in southern Quebec in French

Results snapshot: Just under 20 million impressions with 151 K Ad clicks and 153 K visits to the landing page https://www.visitekingston.ca/rassembleuse

RTO 9, in partnership with Brockville Tourism and Destination Ontario, this 2025-26 US Drive Market campaign promoted the Tall Ships Festival in Brockville. As a signature event in South Eastern Ontario, the Tall Ships Festival is a compelling draw for U.S. visitors seeking unique cultural and historical experiences, directly aligning with the campaign’s objectives of driving repeat visitation, increasing visitor expenditures, and showcasing South Eastern Ontario’s things to see and do.

PARTNER SPECIFIC MARKET TARGETING:
Western and Upstate New York, Southern and Central Michigan, and Northern Ohio.

Results snapshot: Just under 8.342 million impressions with 176 K Ad clicks and 154 K visits to the landing page https://tallshipsbrockville.com/

Developed in partnership with Ottawa Road Trips, the Waterway Adventure Trails promotes new self-guided routes highlighting the region’s waterfront attractions, including locks, boat tours, watersports, beaches, and waterfront dining. These six regional guides were promoted through Destination Ontario. These guides included:

•    Kingston
•    Cornwall & SDG Counties
•    Bay of Quinte
•    1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways
•    1000 Islands Gananoque

In early 2025, the Culinary Tourism Alliance visited South Eastern Ontario to discover the unique tastes of the place and to showcase what a delicious escape in South Eastern Ontario could look like. CTA visited, interviewed, and documented businesses from across the food tourism value chain in South Eastern Ontario over 4 days in Kingston and the Bay of Quinte. A mix of photos, interviews, social posts, and blogs will be shared with RTO 9 and on CTA’s media channels and website.

CTA visited Kingston and Bay of Quinte to capture content for blogs throughout the year, as well as content for our South Eastern Ontario Delicious Campaign with Quintilicious (Bay of Quinte), Kingstonlicious, and Countilicious (Prince Edward County - Visit The County).

Attractions Ontario media buy included a 2-page spread in Passport Magazine Coupon Book, a Regional Cover, an Influencer visit, and a Megacontest for SEO throughout the summer.

Additional coverage included:
•    Influencers visit - Christopher and Bri Mitchell - Brockville and 1000 Islands Gananoque
•    Social Media sharing of RTO 9 events and news year-round
•    Web Banners on site during the busiest traffic months

Attractions Ontario printed 400,000 copies, which were distributed mainly through their information box network (350,000) in Ottawa, Toronto, and Southwestern Ontario.  They were also included in the OTICs, along with a custom distribution list to attractions and tourism bureaus.

RTO 9 partnered this year with Ontario By Bike to promote our region as a top cycling destination in Ontario. Ontario By Bike media buy included OntarioByBike.ca Digital Advertising (Leaderboard Banner, Skyscraper, and E-news banners Placement), Custom Blog Content Development, Posting & Promotion, Rack Card Distribution at all shows, and a Fall Contest in partnership with Frontenac County and Lennox & Addington.

This partnership included: 
Supported Destination media purchases with:
4 x 2024 OntarioByBike.ca Digital Advertising: Leaderboard Banner Website Placement (August 2024)
2 x 2024 OntarioByBike.ca Digital Advertising: Skyscraper Banner Website Placement (May & July 2024)
1 x 2024 OntarioByBike.ca Digital Advertising: E-Newsletter Leaderboard Banner Placement (April 2024)
2024 OntarioByBike.ca Content Partnership: Custom Blog Content Development, Posting & Promotion
Ontario By Bike also represents South Eastern Ontario at Travel Trade Shows and hands out material on RTO 9’s behalf

LCBO Page 9 - Full page spread in Fall issue of Food and Drink Magazine highlighting Closson Chase Winery, Loch Mor Cidery, and the Bottle and Barrel Trail, 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways.