Canada: Thunder Bay To Host Northern Ontario Tourism Summit 2025 At Valhalla Hotel

Published on August 18, 2025

The countdown has begun to 1 of Northern Ontario’s largest tourism events, group to return spot successful precocious 2025. The Northern Ontario Tourism Summit will tally from November 25 to 27 successful Thunder Bay’s Valhalla Hotel & Conference Centre. Marking Thunder Bay’s 3rd clip hosting, this year’s assembly anticipates a gathering of complete 500 delegates. Attendees will see authorities officials, operators, suppliers, and Indigenous tourism organisations, each converging to analyse existent trends and floor plan early strategies for tourism crossed nan North.

A Brief History of nan Summit

The acme was first organised successful 2014 by Destination Northern Ontario and Nature & Outdoor Tourism Ontario (NOTO). Tourism stakeholders were given, for nan first time, a dedicated abstraction for workshops, networking, and a waste and acquisition show. The inaugural was designed to merge nan region’s operators and decision-makers, ensuring that nan assemblage could build collectively.

Over nan years, nan acme has been hosted successful various communities crossed Northern Ontario. A region occurred during nan COVID-19 pandemic, and erstwhile it returned, nan format was adjusted to let a hybrid experience. Limited in-person capacity was balanced pinch virtual sessions, and contempt restrictions, nan arena was considered successful. By 2024, nan 10th day was observed successful North Bay, wherever discussions were focused connected betterment from nan pandemic, cross-border tourism opportunities, and rebuilding location strength.

Since its creation, much than 1,500 participants person been attracted to nan summit. Policy changes, strategical investments, and caller collaborations person been shaped by its outcomes, making it a cornerstone of tourism readying successful nan North.

Themes for 2025

The 2025 acme has been fixed nan taxable “Experience. Engage. Empower. Excel.” More than 20 workshops and panels person been scheduled, reflecting issues faced by nan tourism manufacture today. Among nan topics prepared are:

• AI take successful tourism and world trading methods
• Development of Indigenous tourism partnerships
• Accessibility improvements successful visitant experiences
• Strategies for world recreation adaptation
• Transportation challenges and opportunities successful nan region
• Arts and taste promotion successful Northern Ontario
• Succession readying and nonprofit governance
• Winter tourism improvement and outdoor recreation trends

Delegates will besides beryllium presented pinch discussions connected moose research, wayfinding, and capacity building, each of which is considered captious to nan semipermanent sustainability of nan sector.

Venue and Gala Celebration

The Valhalla Hotel & Conference Centre will beryllium nan cardinal venue for nan summit. All plenary sessions, panels, and exhibitions will beryllium accommodated there. The President’s Gala and Awards Dinner is scheduled for November 26, erstwhile achievements of individuals and organisations will beryllium recognised. The gala will besides service arsenic a networking level wherever caller business connections are expected to beryllium forged.

The Choice of Thunder Bay

The determination to bring nan acme backmost to Thunder Bay is linked to nan city’s position arsenic a increasing tourism hub. The organization is recognised for its earthy landscapes, including nan Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Kakabeka Falls, Lake Superior, and Fort William Historical Park. Its taste offerings, Indigenous heritage, and modern hospitality infrastructure person positioned it good to big a gathering of this scale.

Thunder Bay’s location connected nan statement of nan world’s largest freshwater reservoir besides offers a earthy backdrop for discussions astir sustainable tourism. Attendees will beryllium provided pinch opportunities to research nan city’s culinary scene, creation galleries, and outdoor recreation spaces, reinforcing its image arsenic a premier destination successful nan North.

Expected Economic and Community Impact

Local businesses successful Thunder Bay are expected to person a boost from nan summit. Hotels, restaurants, and proscription providers will accommodate and service complete 500 delegates. Retail businesses and taste attractions will apt use from accrued postulation arsenic participants return clip to research nan metropolis during their visit.

Economic improvement agencies person emphasised that nan acme is not only a tourism arena but besides a location maturation driver. Revenue generated by visitors, mixed pinch nan vulnerability provided to Northern Ontario products and services, is expected to stimulate finance successful nan section economy.

Building Partnerships and Sharing Knowledge

The acme has been described arsenic a catalyst for collaboration. Each year, partnerships betwixt operators, authorities agencies, and Indigenous organisations person been strengthened. These alliances person created opportunities for associated trading campaigns, shared infrastructure projects, and argumentation support. The 2025 programme is being designed to promote moreover much knowledge exchange, ensuring that ideas developed astatine nan arena are carried guardant into existent action crossed Northern Ontario.

Registration and Participation

Registration specifications are being provided done nan charismatic arena tract and done partner organisations. Options for exhibitors, sponsors, and afloat convention attendees are being listed, making nan acme accessible to different types of participants. Both home and world delegates are expected, widening nan scope of discussions to see world trends and opportunities.

Exploring Thunder Bay Beyond nan Summit

Delegates are invited to adhd a time aliases 2 to their schedule to observe much of Thunder Bay. The Thunder Bay Art Gallery, a short thrust from nan normal centre, exhibits modern Indigenous creation and tells stories of nan onshore and people—an enlightening stop. The Voyageur Hiking Trail, stretching on nan shoreline, invites hikers to return successful views of nan reservoir framed by boreal forest. Kayaking, aboriginal guide-led canoe trips, and, depending connected nan season, berry picking aliases skiing are each connected nan section menu. For meals, restaurants connection everything from poutine and bison burgers to food and chaotic atom pilaf, letting nan region’s ingredients return centre stage.

[Image Source: City of Thunder Bay Official Website]