Community Sessions 2026
Why You’ll Want to Be in the Room
These community sessions are more than an update from Explorers’ Edge. They are an important opportunity for tourism operators, community partners, municipal leaders and residents to hear what we are learning across the region, understand where new opportunities are emerging, and help influence the priorities that will guide our work moving forward.
We have a lot to share – and we also need to hear from you.
The conversations and feedback gathered through these sessions will be consolidated by staff and brought directly to the Explorers’ Edge Board of Directors on November 5 during our full-day strategic planning session. If you have a perspective on where tourism in the region is heading, what is working, what is getting in the way, or where investment and attention should be focused next, this is the time to be part of the conversation.
During the session, we’ll explore:
What we’re learning about our visitors – and why it matters
We’ll share new regional research, including geolocation insights and findings from the Visitor Exit Survey, to better understand who is visiting, where they are travelling, how they are moving through the region and what their behaviour is telling us. We’ll also talk about how this information can help communities and operators make stronger decisions around marketing, product development, investment and visitor experience.
Building a more welcoming and inclusive destination
We’ll provide an update on our regional 2SLGBTQIA+ destination audit and what we are learning about visibility, welcome, inclusion and belonging across the visitor economy. This is about understanding where the region is today, identifying gaps and opportunities, and considering how we can collectively create a destination where more people feel confident choosing to visit, work and spend time.
Being present in Indigenous communities
We’ll reflect on our work and relationships with Indigenous communities across the region and what we have learned by showing up, listening, participating and building relationships. We’ll discuss how these experiences are informing our approach to destination development, reconciliation, partnership and the role Explorers’ Edge should play moving forward.
Gravenhurst MAT Pilot Partnership – what we are learning from a new model
We’ll take a deeper look at the Gravenhurst Municipal Accommodation Tax pilot partnership and the destination development work that has taken place through it. This includes business engagement, product and package development, visitor research, marketing activation and direct collaboration with the local tourism community.
We’ll also share what the pilot is teaching us about how municipal tourism investment can be connected more directly to business needs, visitor behaviour and measurable destination development — and what those lessons could mean for future partnerships elsewhere in the region.
Transportation, product development and growing the visitor economy
We’ll provide a broader look at work underway across visitor transportation, new tourism products and packages, geographic and seasonal dispersion, community partnerships and year-round tourism. We’ll talk about where momentum is building and where we see the next opportunities for the region.
Then we want to hear from you
This is a working conversation, not simply a presentation.
What are you seeing in your business or community?
Where are the biggest opportunities?
What is holding tourism growth back?
What should we be paying closer attention to?
And what should Explorers’ Edge prioritize next?
Your feedback will help inform the discussion our Board has on November 5 as it considers future priorities, partnerships and investments.
If tourism matters to your business, your organization or your community, you will want to be in the room.
Come hear what we are learning, see where the work is heading and make sure your perspective is part of what comes next.
Find a Community Session Near You:
Community sessions will take place at four locations across the Explorers’ Edge region. Explore the details below to find a session in your area.
