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Press Release
May 2, 2002

OVTA Promotions are Building Toward a Busy Tourist Season

The first spring weather brings a rush of energy – rakes and garden tools, hoses and brooms reappear as we spruce things up and prepare for the summer days ahead.

Tourist operators throughout the region are preparing their property for the visitors of 2002. "We're anticipating an excellent season," says Judy Hugli, Renfrew County's tourism marketing coordinator for the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA).

Hugli has been preparing for the upcoming travel season for several months now. For the past four months, she and other Renfrew County tourism staff have been promoting the region through a variety of publications and at a number of trade shows and marketplaces. "A lot of time, local people aren't aware of our activities because they take place in another city," Hugli says.

This year's promotions have included outdoor sportsmen's shows in Ottawa and Toronto, showcases for tour operators and travel agents from throughout Ontario and the northeastern United States, and, for the first time, a display at the Capital Parent and Kids Show in Ottawa.

"We're watching the trends in the industry and we're constantly adjusting our activities to reach new markets," says Hugli. She notes that more than 1,100 OVTA Travel Guides and 1,500 of the association's colouring books were distributed at the Capital Parent and Kids Show alone to families looking for vacation or day trip ideas. "This is the best time of year to make contact, because people are looking for vacation ideas for the summer," Hugli says. She notes that the OVTA gives local tourist operators a united voice to attract visitors to the area. The association acts as an advisory committee to Renfrew County's economic development department working in partnership with local tourism businesses. "We're joining together to have a unified voice and create more awareness," Hugli says, adding, "We're in a very competitive market with other destinations and we have to work together to compete more effectively."

This year's outreach activities will gear down at the end of this month, when Hugli attends the Canada Media Marketplace to meet with travel writers looking for good stories. The goal is to work with them to create some free media coverage for the Ottawa Valley.

"It's a never-ending job," Hugli says. "We're watching for every possible opportunity to promote this area."

(For more information, contact Judy Hugli, Ottawa Valley Tourist Association, 732-4364.)

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