Theme EC 5: Tourism

Theme Statement

Kingston develops and enhances the tourism sector through the positioning of Kingston as a preferred destination for visitors, sports events, and businesses while supporting sustainable tourism for local residents.

Indicators

Annual Tourism Revenues (Revenues from tourism-related expenditures/categories including lodging, food, and beverages, transportation, entertainment, and retail).¹⁴

Goals

Attract Tourism investment to further develop year‐round product offerings and augment the existing community and visitor assets.
Market leisure activities that highlight Kingston’s unique heritage, culture¹⁵, culinary, and natural resources.
Develop niche tourism markets including sport tourism, business tourism, leisure travel, cultural tourism, and eco-tourism.
Increase visitation from the Travel Trade, Meetings and Conferences sectors.
Maximize Kingston’s capability to host local, national, and international sport events.
Develop existing products, services, and activities to retain residents and keep visitors continually coming back.

Actions

Action	Action Lead	Target	Status
Tourism Promotion Aims to attract cycling tourists to Kingston. The tour promotion highlights Kingston and it's attractions.	Kingston by Bike!	To grow the cycling tourism market. To build Kingston's reputation as a great cycling destination.	Ongoing
To publicize the biodiversity of the Kingston region	Kingston Field Naturalists	To encourage sustainable environmental tourism as part of the Kingston economy.	Ongoing
Promoting Tourism to Kingston The publication of tourism magazines the Key to Kingston and the Official Visitor Guide to Kingston, in partnership with Kingston Economic Development Corporation.	Kingston Publications	Through these publications, we seek to attract domestic and international tourists to Kingston and welcome/introduce them to the city upon their arrival.	Ongoing
Green Tourism Initiative Tourism Kingston’s Green Tourism Initiative is a project aiming to market, promote and create a healthy, sustainable tourism industry in the Kingston area. Tourism Kingston has been working with its partners in a variety of manners to encourage them to strive towards making Kingston a more environmentally-friendly tourist destination.	Kingston Economic Development Corporation	To make Kingston the premier Canadian destination for environmentally conscious tourists.	Ongoing
Towers and Turbines Tour A walking tour where we take people across the Wolfe Island Ferry, talk about Kingston's military fortifications followed by a dicussion on the wind turbine project.	Kingston Walks	- Create awareness of Kingston's cultural past and its sustainable future. - Boost tourism.	Ongoing
The Tourism Kingston Website A resource for Tourism information and opportunities available in the Kingston area.	Kingston Economic Development Corporation	Attraction of domestic and international tourism and tourism investment to Kingston.	Ongoing
Confederation Tour Trolley Confederation Tour Trolley is an annual service that runs from May through Thanksgiving. The trolley schedule is available.	Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce	Increase the number of tourists and local residents who use the trolley as a method of discovering Kingston’s attractions.	Ongoing (seasonal)

14 If data is available, replace current measure with hotel occupancy rates.
15 Cultural heritage tourism is considered major component of the City’s tourism program.