Northern Ontario Tourism Summit News

November 25, 26 & 27, 2025

Valhalla Hotel and Conference Centre

Thunder Bay, Ontario

REGISTRATION OPENING SOON!

This year’s theme is Experience. Engage. Empower. Excel. Inspired by the voices of our tourism industry, developed in partnership with Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario and shaped by your feedback, our sessions, speakers, and workshops are designed to help you. The agenda committee is working on over 20 incredible sessions to bring you this year, covering a diverse and timely range of topics, including:

• International Marketing and Artificial Intelligence
• Building Authentic Partnerships with Indigenous Communities
• New and Emerging Visitor Market Trends
• Student Panel – Exploring the next generation of tourism employees
• SPARK – featuring previous winners from the Northwest
• First Impressions – A case study/panel on gateway signage, wayfinding, and attraction signage
• Nonprofit Networking or Capacity Building – Exploring governance, the Corporations Act, and organizational growth
• Arts and Culture – Celebrating creative sectors and their vital role in community identity and tourism
• Adapting for International Travel – Insights on tourism, global trends, and actionable data
• Winter and Shoulder Season Tourism Development
• Wildlife Sessions – Focused discussions on moose research and bear tourism allocations
• Succession Planning: Ensuring Sustainable Leadership for Organizational Longevity
• Accessibility Guidelines in Ontario
• Blueprints for Resilience: Capacity Building and Succession Planning for Operators
• Transportation – Challenges and opportunities
• …and much more.

Operator Panel – Reinvesting in Your Business

Looking for operators to participate!

We are currently looking for operators who would be willing to talk about any re-investments they have made in their business (recent capital investments, renovations, new products/services, etc.). If you are willing to participate, please reach out to NOTO staff.

Session for Non-for-Profits & Municipalities

Seeking feedback to help guide planning

During our Corporate & Community Champion Meeting earlier in the new year, some had expressed interest in a session for non-for-profits and smaller municipalities to discuss challenges surrounding governance, succession planning, capacity building, building tourism knowledge within smaller orgs, etc.

We wanted to check in with you all to determine if this is still a topic of interest, and to get more specifics on some of the challenges facing your organizations so that we may determine the best format for such a session, whether it be a facilitated discussion, panel, or if we can find a speaker to address common themes.

The items brought forward will also help us and the team at Tourism Excellence North to create an Adapt Webinar Series where we can go into each identified segment in more details.

Please let us know what topics you’d be interested in. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Seeking Sponsors for the Summit

As we build on the momentum of 2024, we’re looking to collaborate with like-minded sponsors who share our values and vision. Whether you’re interested in maintaining your previous level of involvement or exploring new opportunities, we would be happy to customize a sponsorship package that aligns with your strategic goals.

As a sponsor, you will benefit from:

• Expanded brand visibility and recognition across Northern Ontario’s tourism network
• Meaningful engagement with potential clients, partners, and peers
• Access to valuable networking and marketing opportunities throughout the event

For more details, please see the attached Sponsorship Package. We would also be glad to arrange a call or meeting to explore how your organization can play a key role in this year’s Summit.

Sponsor a Student – Help Shape the Future of Tourism

Join us in supporting the next generation of industry leaders by sponsoring a student to attend NOTS. Your contribution will help cover their accommodations, meals, and registration—removing barriers and ensuring their valuable voice is heard at our highly anticipated Student Perspectives Panel. It’s one of our most popular sessions, and with your support, we can welcome even more inspiring young minds to the stage! Please reach out to kate@noto.net for more info.

Tradeshow Nearly Sold Out!

There is a lot of interest in the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit Industry Marketplace this year and booths are extremely limited. Please make sure to secure yours early by emailing kate@noto.net. You can find more information on the tradeshow near the end of the sponsorship package.