Bruce County has developed a method to measure the economic impact of tourism, a key economic driver for the area. The first Economic Impact of Tourism Report, published January 2019, reveals 2,545,254 Bruce County visitors contributed $299 million to the local economy in 2018.
Bruce County received Rural Economic Development (RED) funding from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to develop this standardized and consistent approach, with the goal of addressing current gaps in available data. The newly developed framework leverages data from multiple sources, including:
• partnered organizations existing data (Ontario Parks, Parks Canada, and Ontario Ferries);
• surveys completed businesses across Bruce County;
• surveys completed by Bruce County visitors, at various events throughout the peak tourism season; and
• surveys completed using a 3rd party panel.
“We now have a way to collect and analyze primary tourism data on an ongoing basis,” says Kara Van Myall, Director of Planning and Development. “This data will be used to better inform business and industry support, and has the potential to foster business growth opportunities.”
Bruce County will publish Economic Impact of Tourism Reports on an annual basis, to be shared with lower-tier municipalities, current and prospective entrepreneurs, industry partners, and the public. “This study is a vital resource and emphasizes just how important tourism is to our economy,” says Warden Mitch Twolan.
Download the 2018 report on Bruce County’s website: www.brucecounty.on.ca/business/economic-development-strategy.
