OTS25 is Ontario's premier gathering for tourism leaders, innovators, and changemakers - focused on building business resilience, sustainable growth, and collaborative success.
Theme: Building Your Business. Living Abundantly. Collaboration.
Venue: Ottawa Conference & Event Centre - 5 minutes from downtown, across from the VIA Rail Station, and approximately 20 minutes from Ottawa International Airport.
CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
Ontario Tourism Summit is Ontario's award winning, flagship tourism industry conference, bringing together hundreds of operators, destinations, municipalities, community leaders, sector associations, and decision-makers from across the province.
The 2025 programming comes at a pivotal moment: a relentless year marked by elections, shifting priorities, climate pressures, safety considerations, rising costs, and rapid advances in technology. The need to think differently and work together has never been greater.
This year’s Summit focuses on helping tourism stakeholders strengthen operations, build resilience, and unlock shared value across communities.
The conference programming is curated by industry input and aligned with priorities identified through the Ontario Tourism Strategy consultations.
DISCOVER
Expert-led sessions on sustainability, workforce resilience, and market trends
Hands-on learning to move from strategy to action
Access to industry insights aligned with Ontario’s Tourism Strategy
CONNECT
Meet hundreds of industry professionals from Ontario & beyond
Connect with sector leaders and stakeholders looking to collaborate
Identify shared priorities and start building impactful initiatives
TAKE ACTION
Hear from visionary speakers leading the future of tourism, hospitality and related industries
Learn actionable strategies to strengthen your projects
Leave with ideas you can apply
AGENDA AT A GLANCE
DAY ONE
Tuesday, October 28
Insights on the new Ontario Tourism Strategy
Breakout discussions on workforce issues, creative leadership, and future-ready operations
Interactive sessions exploring cross-sector partnerships and sustainable business models
Welcome Reception & Artisan Market: Connect with peers and explore Ontario’s local talent!
DAY TWO
Wednesday, October 29
Discussions on investment strategies and destination development
Data-driven sessions on visitor trends and market opportunities
Breakout workshops designed to spark innovative thinking and actionable planning
Ontario Tourism Awards Gala: Celebrating excellence in Ontario’s tourism industry!
BOTH DAYS
Breakfast, and refreshments provided
Networking breaks and interactive spaces to meet industry leaders
Engaging breakout sessions and main stage discussions
Opportunities to explore emerging trends, technologies, and real-world solutions
ACCOMMODATION
We have a room block reserved at Courtyard Ottawa East for Friday, October 24, 2025 through Sunday, November 02, 2025.
Hotel Details:
Courtyard Ottawa East
200 Coventry Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1K 4S3
Room Block Dates:
Friday, October 24, 2025 – Sunday, November 2, 2025
Last Day to Book: October 3rd, 2025
Reserve Your Room:
Click here to book your group rate for Tourism Industry Association of Ontario 2025
Prefer to book by phone?
Call 613-741-9862 or 613-741-9862 ext. 2000 and mention the group code TIAN along with your stay dates to receive the special rate.
TRANSPORTATION
Once you confirm your OTS25 tickets, your confirmation email will include a special discount code to help with your travel to Ottawa.
VALID: October 23rd 2025 to November 3rd 2025
DAY ONE: OCTOBER 28
Day one will showcase speakers and sessions offering insights on the new Ontario Tourism Strategy; breakout discussions on workforce issues; creative leadership, and future-ready operations, Interactive sessions exploring cross-sector partnerships and sustainable business models.
Fireside Chat with The Honourable Stan Cho, Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming (MTCG)
Hon. Stan Cho
MTCG
Kick off the 2025 Ontario Tourism Summit with a forward-looking conversation on resilience and the economic opportunities ahead — setting the stage for Ontario’s new strategic playbook.
Canada Strong Pass: Providing Access for That Final Step
Vince Accardi
OMCA
Louis Lavoie
Parks Canada
Matthew Thomas
Park Bus
Erika Potrz
Hoverlink
Pierre Santori
VIA Rail Canada
See how national partnerships and innovative transportation models are enhancing mobility and access to amazing visitor experiences across the province.
Elbows Up - Arms Wide Open: Insight Into Our Neighbour To The South
Isabel Hill
National Travel and Tourism Office at U.S. Department of Commerce.
We explore how U.S. and Canadian destinations are navigating tariffs, political turbulence, and cultural perception. From Brand USA’s global experience to Ontario’s private-sector-led strategy, this session examines how the tourism sector can think differently and leverage hospitality as a force for connection and understanding in a divided world.
Putting The Altruism In Tourism
Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing
Tourism thrives when communities thrive. In this OTS25 session, perfect for leaders looking to align business goals with community well-being, Dug Stevenson will explore how altruism can build lasting trust, pride, and success through knowledge sharing, financial investment, and community involvement.
The Human Edge: Power Skills for Innovation & Leadership in the Era of AI
Marysia Czarski
Ignition Creativity
Marysia Czarski, Founder and CEO of Ignition Creativity, brings real-world insights and practical frameworks to help you strengthen your leadership and innovation skills, rooted in human connection. With a career spanning global brands, scale-ups, and social enterprise, she’ll show you how to make collaboration stick and navigate change with confidence.
Power of Local Partnerships For Sustainable Growth
Bertha Cormier
Keepers of the Circle
Dan Laverdure
Town of Kirkland Lake
Discover how collaboration between municipalities and Indigenous communities can drive sustainable tourism and economic growth. Dan Laverdure and Bertha Cormier share strategies for building strong partnerships that benefit local economies and cultural heritage.
Digital Cultural Learning
Peter Odle
The Urban Guide
Explore how storytelling, mapping, and gamification combine to build deeper connections with urban culture at OTS25! Peter Odle, creator of The Urban Guide, a platform using self-guided digital city tours and interactive games to reconnect people to shifting urban landscapes, will unpack how immersive digital experiences can amplify cultural awareness, local heritage, and visitor engagement.
Tourism Champions & Future Leader
Trevor Norris
Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board
Brad Kozak
Golf in Ontario
Libby Worden
TMU
Niagara Supercluster
Niagara’s wine industry drives jobs, innovation, and growth, serving as a strong destination anchor for the entire region. Learn about Niagara Supercluster’s bold strategy to level-up, strengthening the global reach of the region and driving prosperity for the local visitor economy.
Key Tourism Performance Metrics - One Year Later
Back by popular demand, get the latest industry performance metrics and trend insights from Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming.
DAY TWO: OCTOBER 29
Day two will feature discussions on investment strategies and destination development; data-driven sessions on visitor trends and market opportunities; breakout workshops designed to spark innovative thinking and actionable planning.
FIFA World Cup 26TM – Welcoming the World to Canada
Melanie Robert
FIFA World Cup 26
The FIFA World Cup 26TM is coming to Toronto and Vancouver in less than a year’s time. This is a huge opportunity for Toronto, Ontario and Canada. With international interest from around the globe, Toronto is of high interest to international travellers. This session explores the path to the FWC26, expected economic impact from the tournament, the potential for domestic and international travellers and community engagement.
Therme Group Canada: Investing in Wellness, Culture, and Community
Adam Vaughan
Therme Group
Andrew Siegwart
TIAO
Discover how the $700-million Therme project at Ontario Place will redefine wellness tourism in Canada. This conversation explores the vision, design, and community partnerships behind one of Ontario’s most ambitious destination redevelopments.
Cross-Border Travel Insights: Understanding U.S. Visitors to Ontario
William Schatten
CRG
Alex Mazanik
CRG
Context Research Group (CRG), in partnership with Destination Ontario, is proud to share results from the third wave of an ongoing research series exploring the perceptions and travel behaviours of near-border U.S. travellers. This study provides a unique lens into how American visitors view Ontario as a destination—capturing shifts in sentiment and intention amidst a changing political, social, and economic landscape. Building on findings from earlier waves that highlighted both resilience and emerging opportunities, this latest research paints a fresh portrait of the U.S. traveller.
Developing a Global attraction in Rural Ontario with your Municipality
Jaspreet Sandhu
OAC
Sarah Fox
Visit The County
Janna Smith
PEC Arts Council
Media Metrics: Understanding Impact in a Landscape of AI Influence
Justin Cumby
Initiative
Lauchlan Rogers
Destination Ontario
In a world where AI is reshaping how content is created and consumed, are you measuring what really matters? Join Justin Cumby and Lauchlan Rogers at OTS25 as they unpack evolving media metrics and share practical ways to evaluate reach, engagement, and ROI in today’s fast-moving media landscape.
Building Ontario’s International Tourism Potential
Debra Mansillo
Destination Ontario
Lydia Devereaux
Destination Ontario
Trips to Ontario from key overseas markets increased in this first half of 2025, compared to 2024; and indicators demonstrate that international travel will continue to rise in the future. Recognizing the potential of highly engaged guests is a focus of Destination Ontario’s international marketing strategy. Destination Ontario will share their insights, marketing plans, and provide information on how tourism stakeholders can join the opportunities to welcome the world to Ontario.
Investment Attraction – Futureproofing Visitor Economies
Rebecca Godfrey
CBRE
Alex Mazanik
CRG
Explore how a diverse approach to tourism investment drives jobs, innovation, and community vitality — fuelling Ontario’s long-term prosperity and pride.
Celebrating and Elevating Black Tourism in Ontario
Dionne Bishop
Events By Dionne
Join a powerful panel discussion with Black tourism entrepreneurs, leaders and partner organizations as they share stories of innovation, cultural pride, and community impact across Ontario. This session will explore how collaboration can unlock new opportunities to support, promote, and grow Black tourism - creating a more inclusive and vibrant provincial tourism landscape.
Sustainable Solutions: Ottawa’s Pilot Carbon Calculator Program and the Future of Eco-Measurement for Tourism in Ontario
Kelly Haussler
Ottawa Tourism
To meet the evolving needs and wants of Ontario’s tourism market segments, Ottawa Tourism and TIAO collaborated early this year on a pilot program to measure the carbon footprint of tourism businesses. Partnering with GreenStep and their EcoBase software, data from participating tourism businesses is measured to determine their collective impact on the destination. Now, almost 6 months in, understand learnings, opportunities, of this program for consideration in your own community.
LOCAL ARTISAN MARKETPLACE
Our 4th annual Local Artisan Marketplace hosted as part of the 2025 Ontario Tourism Summit is designed to showcase the host region, Ottawa, and support local.
In the midst of the pandemic, Jane stumbled upon the soothing art of jewelry-making. It started as a therapeutic hobby and pastime with her two daughters.
Lori has been creating with textiles since graduating from Fashion Design in 1984.
She creates hand painted textiles and then sews them into functional art.
A small artisan shop that specializes in hand bound journals, cut paper art pieces & handmade goods.
Nestled in a 17.5-acre urban forest park in the heart of the nation’s capital, the Vanier Sugar Shack passionately perpetuates the tradition of maple syrup-making. This know-how, rooted in the Vanier neighbourhood since 1939.
Avenue T is named after a street in Ottawa, Ontario where her grandmother lived for over six decades. Now, a small Ottawa business run by Grace, Made on Avenue T is the perfect custom gift for any occasion.
Queer-owned business that makes the best handmade soap in Ottawa! Giftable, colourful & gender-neutral soaps for all.
Hot sauce with flavour. Haico's Hot Sauce grow Carolina Reapers, Scorpion and Ghost Peppers in our backyard in Ottawa.
Jewelry inspired by the moon, earth, and water. Crafted with pearls, shells, gemstones, and locally sourced natural materials.
2025 ONTARIO TOURISM AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
The 2025 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence celebrate success and recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to Ontario’s tourism industry.
Awards are jointly presented by;
Awards finalists and winners are celebrated at the Ontario Tourism Awards Gala at the 2025 Ontario Tourism Summit.
ONTARIO TOURISM AWARDS SILENT AUCTION
TIAO will be hosting its 4th annual Ontario Tourism Awards Silent Auction at the Ontario Tourism Summit. All money raised will go towards scholarships for underrepresented youth that are choosing post-secondary education in culinary, tourism, or hospitality programs.
We invite you to donate an in-kind prize and be featured in our auction, which will be showcased to over 450 industry attendees. Your logo and URL will be highlighted alongside your item and included in branded banners within the auction app!
Click here for a sneak peek of the prizes up for grabs
Access Code: 4R2BLL
Interested in donating? Contact: sgonsalves@tiaontario.ca
When
Location
- Ottawa Conference & Event Centre 200 Coventry Rd, Ottawa, ON K1K 4S3
