(Pembroke, ON) - The Transition Board for the newly formed Regional Tourism Organization 11 recently met to begin paving the road for the future of tourism in the area.
Hosted by George Offshack, Transition Board member and owner/operator of Limerick Lake Lodge located on picturesque Limerick Lake in Gilmour, attendees participated in a two-day planning exercise on July 14 and 15 to help develop the major elements of a strategic plan for the next two years.
Dubbed the “Limerick Summit” and facilitated by Erik Lockhart of the Queen’s University Executive Decision Centre, the Summit brought together more than a dozen representatives from eight regions to discuss short and long term objectives, identify priority projects, as well as develop job descriptions, staffing requirements and a recruitment plan.
“The establishment of the new Regional Tourism Organization is an important step in helping to make our region and the province of Ontario competitive in the international tourism marketplace,” noted Melissa Johnston, Marketing Coordinator of the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association and Transition Board member. “It is also extremely important for the future growth and sustainability of our local tourism operators and stakeholders and we appreciate their support as we move forward on this initiative.”
The Transition Board will continue to meet over the course of the next few months as the new organization is established and begins operations.
Regional Tourism Organization 11 is being created in response to the Ministry of Tourism’s 2009 Tourism Competitiveness Study, which recommends dividing the province into 13 tourism regions. Regional 11 is comprised of eight existing Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), tourism agencies and authorities, including the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA), Bancroft & Area Chamber of Commerce, Comfort Country Tourism, Haliburton Tourism, Lanark County Tourism, Land O’Lakes Tourist Association, Rideau Heritage Route Tourism Association and the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn.
