Explorer’s Edge – Unique Learning Experience
October 6, 2014
Explorer’s Edge:
The Art of the Experience – How to Leverage Community Resources for Successful Visitor Focused Destinations/Businesses
Date: Nov 16 -21, 2014
Location: North Bay, South River, Haliburton, ON
Summary
Over the past decade Todd Lucier has helped shape the tourism industry in Atlantic Canada through his facilitation in the Edge of the Wedge Program at GMIST. Now join us as we spend the week with Todd, his staff and surrounding community to learn how a remote and rural community has built a world class experiential tourism offering. Centred at Todd’s Northern Edge Algonquin Retreat on the Edge of Algonquin Park, participants will experience first hand how an off the grid eco-lodge is crafting unique and targeted visitor experiences. Learn how Todd and his local community have leveraged their resources to build new and exciting visitor experiences and the importance of community collaboration.
The purpose of this mission is to showcase a range of tourism experiences and tourism providers that demonstrate Best Practices in culinary, cultural, experiential, and nature tourism – in this case under the umbrella of sustainable tourism. The activities will involve a combination of physical activity, cultural interaction and engaging with nature companies who are well known and respected in the Explorer’s Edge region. Accommodation from November 17-20th (three nights) will be based at Northern Edge Algonquin, a solar powered nature retreat that will provide foundational learning experiences which target all four of the mission themes. From this base, we will visit several destinations and companies in the region, learning from each organization’s key success stories, lessons learned and business practices.
Target participants: Accommodation Owners, Adventure Tour Operators, Experiential Tour Operators, Eco-Tour Operators, Culinary Operators, Economic/Tourism Development Officers and Regional Development Corporations.
Please Note this is only open to Atlantic Canadian Tourism Businesses and Destinations! You may be eligible for a 50% subsidy from GMIST/GMCA as well as 25% subsidy from provincial departments to attend this Best Practices Mission.