The Application Process is now open as we will be accepting applications to September 4, 2013

The Tourism Product Development Fund Pilot Program has been extended for a second year. The strategic focus of the Tourism Product Development Fund is to build on 2012/2013 product development fund pilot initiative; offer a similar initiative that build “tourism product” through the development of strategy, operator seminars/workshops and product.

The objectives of the fund are to:

To enhance visitor experience through well-designed tourism products that meet current and future customer demand

a)    Engage regional operators and organizations in the development of tourism products that will strengthen the range of tourism products in EE.
b)    Meet tourism demands based on local community products (solutions)
c)    Generate business development (and job) opportunities and activities

Engage regional operators and organizations in the development of tourism products that will strengthen the range of tourism products in the Region.
Meet tourism demands based on local community product (solutions)
Generate business development (and job) opportunities and activities.

Overall Assessment of the initial year one pilot project:

What Worked Well

Collaboration: Industry stakeholders (Chambers, DMOs, etc), were very pleased with the introduction of the Tourism Product Development Fund by RTO12 because it allowed them to access (indirectly) the significant funding provided by MTCS for tourism in this region; it went a long way towards re-establishing collaborative working relationships that were jeopardized by the undeniable territorialism that came about with the introduction of the RTO model
Alignment of strategies: Applicants to the fund were required to articulate how their own work would align with the overall strategies of the RTO – this was the first instance of various stakeholders doing this.
Establishment of process: The creation of an application and approval process by the Committee meant industry stakeholders were introduced to the open and transparent methods the RTO relies on to produce all our work. Time and time again, in our dealings with tourism operators or industry stakeholders, our position that reliance on strong process to ensure we develop and execute impactful work was affirmed during this execution of this program.

Room for Improvement

Applicants’ reporting: RTO12 is a very well-oiled machine that relies on strong strategy and process to deliver programs. Many of our counterparts do not have process and strategy in place that is as rigid as ours, and therefore their manner and timeliness of reporting could be challenging. Moving forward, the executive director will be required to provide significant oversight of the reporting in order to move things along.

Communication of outcomes/ROI: Moving forward, RTO12 will require more stringent reporting of outcomes and ROI; anyone who applies to the fund will know before they sign an agreement moving their project ahead exactly what they are expected to report on, so some standards and uniformity can be developed.

Lessons Learned

Introduce a more stringent reporting structure for applicants (including deadline) and consider withholding of final payments until reporting is done (e.g. applicant must pay a deposit that will be returned once reporting is complete)

Review applicants organizational structure: Moving forward the ED will require an understanding of the organizational structure of each applicant, and if the applicant is governed by a Board of Directors, a member of that Board (not just an ED or GM) will be required to provide his/her Board’s full understanding of the proposed project.

Moving forward, applicants will be required to indicate how their proposal targets one of the primary marketing segments of Explorers’ Edge that were determined by the recent OTMPC/TNS segmentation study

Frequently asked questions:

Can I apply for marketing funding?

No. Marketing activities are not eligible for Product Development. Applicants are encouraged to apply to the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation’s Tourism Event Marketing Partnership Program (TEMPP) for marketing support. The TEMPP guidelines, application form and contact information are available from the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation.

Is on-site signage for festivals and events eligible for funding?

Yes, as long as the on-site signage costs are linked to the proposed tourism project or the improvement of programs, activities or services. In all cases, applicants must identify a relationship between proposed expenses and project outcomes.

The Application Process is now open as we will be accepting applications to September 4, 2013

Inquiries should contact James Murphy, Executive Director at (705) 640-0050 or via e-mail [email protected]