Ontario's Near North Travel Association has a new president

Chair of the Regional Tourism Organization (RTO) 13, David MacLachlan (L) receives the Ted Day Tourism Award from Day's children.

Some exciting times for Ontario's Near North Travel Association as they ushered in a new board of directors and launched their new updated website during their 36th annual general meeting Wednesday.

The new executive committee was elected to the board of directors and the officers are: President, Barry Bousfield; Vice President, André Rieser; Secretary, Linda Andersen; and Treasurer, Peter Rooney. Bousfield is known for developing successful marketing and branding programs that include “Top Guns” campaign for Midas and Newfoundland and Labrador tourism attractions.

Long overdue was an update and upgrade to the association’s webpage www.ontariosnearnorth.on.ca. The Ben Farella Group took on the task to adapt the page as a one-stop vacation planning tool as well as enhance the page for contemporary look and feel.

Farella says the new search functionality allows individuals to hook into Google maps, social media, testimonials and community event listings which ultimately will put heads in beds in the region.



As the world sunk into the economic downturn tourism in was not immune and area resorts and outfitters have seen a significant drop in their numbers, so the province developed strategies to address the issue.

Chair of the Regional Tourism Organization (RTO) 13, David MacLachlan, explains that Americans aren’t traveling like they used to so appealing to other visitors including folks in the province so designing a marketing strategy is vital. He says the province has invested the net proceeds from the HST tourism receipts into regional tourism to help implement and support the initiative.

“It’s really designed to give the industry for the financial support it needs to have and tools in place in terms of marketing, product development, training and investment so that we can enhance what we have now to increase tourism revenues.”


He says there is also a marketing project in the works that will target the North Carolina area by having Carolina Hurricane’s Eric Stahl promote fishing in Northern Ontario.

MacLachlan was presented with the the Ted Day Tourism Award for his commitment to the industry in Northern Ontario.