President’s Message – Sept. 2019

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President’s Message
Happy Fall! I hope everyone had a successful season and is planning to attend the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit November 18th to 20th in Timmins, Ontario. I know that the planning has been intense for this event and it promises to be one of the best yet! Not only is this the culmination of our tourist season, it is also a way to celebrate and network with fellow operators, government and industry. This year is extra special as it is officially NOTO’s 90th year! WOW 90 Years?! Not many organizations can say they made it this long, we definitely have something to celebrate.
Do you have photos, video or memorabilia of your years as a member of NOTO? We would love to get personal video messages of specific moments, memories, and reasons why NOTO is important to you and your business sent to the NOTO office. Put your thoughts in an email, or give the office a call. It’s these personal moments and memories that speak to the true nature of our organization. NOTO has a long history of advocacy and support for Tourism Outfitters in Ontario, it’s time we shared with the world what has made our organization the voice of nature & outdoor tourism in Ontario! I am giving a special call out to Past Presidents, Executive Directors, and those in government and industry to share what NOTO means to you. Let’s show the world how strong our Tourism Family is!
Calling all Preferred Suppliers, connect with us through the NOTO office and help celebrate 90 years of working for Northern Ontario Tourism and helping operators to meet their business needs. We are stronger together.
We are once again having the auction fundraiser at the summit and the office is currently accepting donations. Please contact Laurie or Kate to make arrangements for your donations. You can also support NOTO by paying your membership early, talking to others about NOTO and explaining the benefits of joining. Our strength is in our membership and we do not want to leave anyone behind. Through the strategic planning process, we now have a set of goals and targets that will help us adapt and thrive in a changing tourism landscape. I have never been as positive about our future as I am now. It is a very exciting time to be a part of our organization.
One of the core aspects of NOTO is lobbying government on behalf of our membership and their needs. We have been working with a lobbyist and the results are encouraging. To ensure that this is sustainable we have set up a Lobby Fund and encourage you to connect with the office and donate to this fund as it directly benefits us as an industry, by allowing our needs to be heard through the upper echelons of government on a wide range of issues that directly affect our businesses and our bottom line.
If you are interested in nominating individuals or yourself to run for the NOTO Board, we have some vacancies: 1 North West, 1 Central, 2 South, 2 North East and 1 Preferred Supplier opening to fill in November. In addition, we are also looking for nominations on awards. Please call or email the office with someone you feel should be nominated for a NOTO award.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the summit to celebrate our 90th Birthday and the NOTO AGM.
Yours in Tourism,
Hilary Chambers
Hilary Chambers

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