CHAMBER UPDATE

GENERAL INFORMATION: We have finalized our visitor statistics for 2001 - and boy was it a busy year! We had a total of 17,163 requests for information; 4,628 by phone, 12,058 by walk-in, 214 by fax, 131 by mail and 132 by e-mail. Click here to see a copy of the break-down by type of request per month follows this Update. You will see that our busiest months were July and August with February being the slowest.

Please remember to bring us in your brochures or business cards as our supplies are low for most of the membership.

WEB SITE UPDATES: As previously requested - if you would like to have a picture of your business beside your listing on our web site please supply us with a few photos (which we will return) and we’ll be happy to update our site.

ONTARIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE UPDATE: The Ontario Chamber will be participating on the Ontario Small Business Advisory Committee. Wayne Munday, a member of the OCC board of directors and active participant on the finance and tax committee will be the representative. As the OCC spokesperson Wayne welcomes your suggestions for simplifying tax administration procedures, which will be conveyed to the Tax Revenue Division at the Ministry of Finance. The committee’s findings and recommendations will be released to the public in May. If you would like to contact Wayne with your comments he can be reached at (519) 633-5000 or e-mail at wmunday@mundayassoc.on.ca.

MINISTRY OF TOURISM UPDATE:

1. New Ontario Tourism Publication Launched: Minister Hudak has recently launched the newest Ontario publication - Ontario Tourism Facts and Figures. This is a quarterly newsletter providing practical interpretive data to tourism operators. There will be regular updates on border crossings, occupancy rates and economic conditions, as well as a guide to other publications and websites of use to tourism operators. Hard copies of the newsletter are being mailed to Ontario’s tourism industry and the publication can also be viewed at www.tourism.gov.on.ca.
2. Ontario Reaches for E-Tourism Leadership: Minister Hudak has announced a $16.2 million provincial investment in a Tourism Consumer Information System (TCIS). The system is designed to take advantage of the booming online travel industry that is estimated to become a $25 billion industry by 2003. Potential visitors using the TCIS will be able to talk to a travel counselor, order literature and access information that allows them to make travel decisions based on their own unique travel interests. Businesses participating in the TCIS will benefit from advertising that draws large numbers of visitors to the new system. Tourism operators in Ontario will benefit from the new TCIS as they will be able to promote their products on a world-wide marketing vehicle. Even the smallest of operators will be able to participate at no cost, with larger tourism operators able to purchase a larger presence. Any questions regarding this system can be directed to TCIS-Marketing, Tom Boyd, (416) 212-0757.

Advertisers Wanted Distribution to over 170 members Bi-Weekly Publication Only $25.00 (plus GST) Contact Cindy or Chris at the Office

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