Explorers’ Edge launches travel package for permanent and seasonal residents

(News Release from Stephen Murdoch, Enterprise Canada)

Campaign to support tourism industry calls on everyone to get out and explore their own backyards

Bracebridge --  One of cottage country’s regional tourism organizations is offering permanent and seasonal residents $50 in cash vouchers to spend at participating accommodations, attractions, restaurants, shops and events throughout Algonquin Park, the Almaguin Highlands, Port-Loring Restoule, Muskoka, Parry Sound and South Algonquin from  now (July 16) to October 12, 2020.

Called the “Cottage Country Spirit” campaign, the organization hopes to bring some unity to an area where challenges during the COVID-19 crisis sometimes arose between traditional neighbours over best practices for physical distancing, said James Murphy, executive director of Explorers’ Edge.

“One thing we know is that, now that we have entered Phase 3 of the provincial re-opening strategy, we need both our permanent and seasonal residents to support the local tourism industry, which has been devasted by the impact of COVID-19 closures over the last few months,” said Murphy. “We want folks to show their ‘cottage country spirit’ and support small tourism businesses in this region and their staff on the long road to recovery.”

More than 150 tourism businesses are participating in the promotion, and 3,000 packages are available to residents of one of Ontario’s most popular vacation destinations. There’s no catch involved, said Murphy, except that you need to be a resident of one of the municipalities considered to be in the Explorers’ Edge region, and only one package per household will be offered.

“Our area relies on tourism as an economic driver more than any other region in the province,” Murphy said. “The negative effects of the pandemic can’t be understated for small businesses and their staff. We hope this local travel package will induce goodwill in all our neighbours, and encourage registrants to get out and discover great adventures in their own back yard.”

For more information on the Cottage Country Spirit Local Travel Package from Explorers’ Edge, visit www.explorersedge.ca/cottagecountryspirit.

About Explorers’ Edge:

Also known as Regional Tourism Organization 12, Explorers’ Edge promotes vacationing in the great Canadian wilderness just north of Toronto and is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.