Working Together to Build Tourism in Northern Ontario
We are thrilled to announce that the 2025 Northern Ontario Tourism Summit will be held in Thunder Bay, ON. Stay tuned, as details will emerge soon.
Building on 80+ years of successful fall conferences for the outfitting sector, the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit was developed as a partnership event between Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario (NOTO) and Destination Northern Ontario (DNO) to bring together tourism businesses, organizations and suppliers as well as all levels of government at a single event to find solutions to challenges facing the industry. The agenda for this one-of-a-kind Northern Ontario tourism event includes training workshops, information sessions, and innovative problem-solving workshops, a range of speakers as well as numerous opportunities for networking, including a trade show of product and service providers to the tourism industry.
Agenda
The agenda committee is working on over 20 incredible sessions to bring you this year, covering a diverse and timely range of topics. Stay tuned for the full agenda, designed to inspire, inform, and empower every attendee.
Check back for updates!
Tuesday November 25th
| Time | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00pm | Opening Reception + Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario Fun Night | Thunder Bay Community Auditorium |
Roll out the red carpet! Join us for a star-studded Opening Reception at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium. After a long day of travel, it’s time to unwind, mingle, and step into the spotlight. Come dressed as your favourite movie star, strike a pose, and enjoy an evening of fun, laughter, and networking with fellow tourism professionals. Lights, camera, networking!
Wednesday November 26th
| Time | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30am | Breakfast Sponsored by Nuclear Waste Management Organization | Main Ballroom |
| 8:00am | Land Acknowledgement and Opening Remarks | Main Ballroom |
| 8:10am | Welcome from David MacLachlan, Executive Director, Destination Northern Ontario | Main Ballroom |
| 8:15am | Remarks from Destination Ontario | Main Ballroom |
| 8:20am | International Marketing Presented by Destination Ontario | Main Ballroom |
| 9:00am | Remarks from Eric Melillo - Member of Parliament for Kenora-Kiiwetinoong | Main Ballroom |
| 9:15am | Thunder Bay Cruising Presented by Paul Pepe, Manager, Tourism Thunder Bay | Main Ballroom |
| 9:30am | Keynote Speaker - Dr. Ivan Joseph Award Winning Performance Coach | Leadership and Cultural Transformation Expert | Main Ballroom |
| 10:27am | A message from our Diamond Sponsor - Superior Country's Executive Director, Dan Bevilacqua | Main Ballroom |
| 10:30am | Coffee Break - Sponsored by Superior Country | TBA |
| 11:00am | Maximizing Tourism Funding: Strategies, Eligibility & Best Practices | Main Ballroom |
| An Update from Nuclear Waste Management Organization | Viking | |
| People in Motion: Wayfinding in Northern Ontario Presented by Patricia Forrest, President, Forrest Consulting; Karen Bittner, Director of Facilities and Community Services, Town of Blind River and Megan Dokuchie, Economic Development Officer, City of Kenora. | Odin | |
| 11:30am | From Heritage to Opportunity: Advancing Francophone Tourism Presented by Rémi Nolet; Renée Vezeau Beaulieu ; Mylène Coulombe-Gratton | Viking |
| 11:55am | TBA | Main Ballroom |
| 12:00pm | Walking Lunch Sponsored by BrokerLink Insurance | TBA |
| 1:00pm | Update on MNR’s Moose Research in WMU 13 Presented by Dr. Joseph Northrup (MNR) | Main Ballroom |
| Northwest Ontario (Round 3) "Spark" Finalists Pitch Session (1-3:00PM) | Viking | |
| Feast On® and Food Action Network: The Value of Local Sourcing | Odin | |
| 2:00pm | Reinvesting in Your Biz - Northern Ontario Operator Panel Discussion | Main Ballroom |
| Northwest Ontario (Round 3) "Spark" Finalists Pitch Session (1-3:00PM) | Viking | |
| Prioritizing Your Mental Health: Practical Strategies for Everyday Wellbeing (This session will go 15 minutes into the break.) | Odin | |
| 2:30pm | Driftscape Rolling Stories Tour: Visit Thunder Bay This is an off-site guided bus tour immerses attendees in Thunder Bay’s culture, heritage, and local highlights. | Off-site |
| Coffee Break Sponsored by Smoker Craft | ||
| 3:00pm | Main Ballroom CLOSED beginning at 3:00pm | Main Ballroom |
| ITO Session: More information to come | Viking | |
| Ontario's Black Bear Management Update | Odin | |
| 3:30pm | Main Ballroom CLOSED beginning at 3:00pm for Gala set up | Main Ballroom |
| Northern Ontario Transportation Challenges and Solutions Document for session: Transportation Challenges and Solutions | Viking | |
| 6:00pm | Reception & Hors d'oeuvres sponsored by The New Business | Main Ballroom |
| 6:30pm | President's and Gala Awards Dinner at the Valhalla Hotel and Conference Centre sponsored by BrokerLink | Main Ballroom |
Please check back for updates.
Thursday November 27th
| Time | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 am | Breakfast Sponsored by Nuclear Waste Management Organization | |
| 7:55am | Opening Remarks | Main Ballroom |
| 8:00am | How to Work Together and Incorporate Your Indigenous Partners - Presented by Steven Debassige, Indigenous Tourism Ontario | Main Ballroom |
| 8:45am | Man Meets Machine: The New Division of Labour - Presented by Mike Jacobs, CEO, The New Business | Main Ballroom |
| 9:30am | From Collapse to Comeback: The Courage to Rebuild What Matters Presented by Lisa MacLeod | Main Ballroom |
| 10:30am | Coffee Break - Sponsored By The SAM Group | TBA |
| 11:00am | Exploring Tourism Careers: A Student Perspective - Panel Discussion with Students from Lakehead University | Main Ballroom |
| 12:00pm | Lunch Sponsored by TBA | |
| 1:00pm | From Insight to Action: Interactive Strategies for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Workplaces | Main Ballroom |
| Superior Country's Annual General Meeting | Viking | |
| Transport Canada - New Boating Regulations for Operators | Odin | |
| 2:00pm | MAT Revenues - The Strongest Tourism Development Tool Presented by the Tourism Thunder Bay Team | Main Ballroom |
| Viking Room CLOSED | Viking | |
| Thunder Bay Art Gallery: A Cultural Legacy for the North | Odin | |
| 2:30pm | Coffee Break Sponsored by Thunder Bay International Airports Authority Inc | Tradeshow Floor |
| Thanks to our amazing friends at Porter Airlines, we’re giving away a very special donated prize during the event! You MUST be present in the tradeshow floor to win and completed your notsopoly board.🎉 | ||
Please check back for updates.
Event Information
This is where you'll find everything you need to know about NOTS 2025. If you can't find what you're looking for, or if you have any questions, please contact us. Additional event information to come, be sure to check back for updates!
Ticket Pricing
| Ticket Prices for NOTS 2025 before Oct 31st, 2025 | ||
| Full Conference | $350.00 | |
| Opening Reception Only | $75.00 | |
| Wednesday Day Pass (Excludes Gala) | $150.00 | |
| Gala and Presidents Award Dinner | $100.00 | |
| Thursday Day Pass (Event ends at 2:00pm) | $100.00 | |
| Ticket Prices for NOTS 2025 as of November 1st, 2025 | ||
| Full Conference | $400.00 | |
| Opening Reception Only | $125.00 | |
| Wednesday Day Pass (Excludes Gala) | $200.00 | |
| Gala and Presidents Award Dinner | $150.00 | |
| Thursday Day Pass (Event ends at 2:00pm) | $150.00 | |
Save On Travel With Porter Airlines
We are happy to share a 20% promo code for flights to Thunder Bay with Porter Airlines!
- Promo Code: NSTB25
- Booking Deadline: October 30th, 2025
- Travel Dates: November 23–28, 2025
| How to Use It: |
Don’t miss this opportunity to save. See you in Thunder Bay! Thank you to Porter Airlines for their generous donation. |
Accommodations
This year's summit will take place at the Valhalla Hotel & Conference Centre in Thunder Bay.
| Valhalla Hotel & Conference Centre | |
|---|---|
1 Valhalla Inn Road To receive the discounted rate, | Toll Free: 1 (800) 964-1121 Reserve Online: CLICK HERE |
The room block will close on October 31st 2025. We strongly encourage you to book your room as early as possible. Once the block is full, the special rate will no longer be available. Guests booking outside of the block should expect to pay approximately $100 more per night.
Overflow Hotels
| Comfort Inn | |
|---|---|
660 W. Arthur St. To receive the discounted rate, | Local: (807) 475-3155 Email reservations@valhallahotel.ca |
The Comfort Inn room block will close on October 25, 2025.
Presidents & Gala Awards Dinner
The President's and Gala Awards Dinner will take place on Wednesday, November 26th at the Valhalla Hotel & Conference Centre at 6:00 pm. For more information, please get in touch with communications@destinationnorthernontario.ca.
Northern Ontario Tourism Industry Leader Awards – to learn more or submit your nominations, click here.
NOTO Industry Awards – to learn more or submit your nominations, click here.
Northern Ontario Tourism Industry Leader Awards
Northern Ontario Tourism Industry Leader Awards - Nominations Closed
Destinatio Northern Ontario's Tourism Industry Leader Awards celebrate the outstanding individuals, businesses, and organizations that are shaping the future of tourism in Ontario. These prestigious awards recognize those who demonstrate exceptional leadership, adopt best business practices, and deliver unforgettable tourism experiences that attract and inspire visitors from around the world.
This year, we are proud to introduce two new award categories that highlight the trailblazers and champions of Ontario’s tourism sector.
INDUSTRY LEADER – Innovation Excellence
INDUSTRY LEADER – Best Business Practices
For more information, please click here.
NOTO Industry Awards
The NOTO Awards were created to recognize the incredible individuals who bring Ontario’s outdoor tourism industry to life. Each year, we honour members who have gone above and beyond by protecting our natural environment, enhancing tourism products, or taking the time to participate in meaningful ways to advance tourism across the province.
Take a moment to reflect:
- Is there someone in your network who deserves the spotlight?
- Have you done something you’re especially proud of this year?
Nominate them or yourself, and help us celebrate the passion, innovation, and dedication that drives our industry forward.
The NOTO Awards will be presented at the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit. Each person who is nominated will be notified by the NOTO.
FAQ
01 | What should I wear to the summit? Pack business casual attire. Evening events are casual. The President's and Gala Awards dinner is a black tie event. |
02 | When does the room block close? The room block will close before November 2025. We strongly encourage you to book your room as early as possible. Once the block is full, the special rate will no longer be available. Guests booking outside of the block should expect to pay approximately $100 more per night. |
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ivan Joseph
Award-Winning Performance Coach | Leadership and Cultural Transformation Expert
An award-winning coach, prominent educator, and accomplished leader, Dr. Ivan Joseph has spent his career leading cultural transformation and building cohesive teams. His research has focused on understanding how self-confidence drives performance and now, as an internationally renowned speaker, he shares this knowledge to help leaders cultivate inclusive, high-performing workplace cultures. Dynamic and engaging, Joseph always leaves audiences with a memorable experience that adds value long after the presentation ends.
Sponsorship
Interested in sponsoring the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit? Contact us to learn more and get involved!
Tradeshow Exhibitors
Interested in becoming an exhibitor at the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit? Contact Kate at kate@noto.net to learn more and get involved!
While You're Here
In Thunder Bay, dining is an adventure. Whether you’re savouring a gourmet meal while watching the sunset over Lake Superior or enjoying Indigenous cuisine by a roaring fire, Thunder Bay invites you to play hard and reward yourself – experience the intersection of the culinary and natural worlds in every delectable bite.
Thank You to our Sponsors!
A big thank you to our 2025 Northern Ontario Tourism Summit sponsors.
Diamond Sponsors
Ruby Sponsors
Emerald Sponsors
Sapphire
Tradeshow Exhibitors
2025 Exhibitors List
Explore our diverse range of industry exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions and products at this year’s summit.
Hear from past attendees!
“Thank you for all the hard work in pulling off another great event. We got so much out of it, and I heard so many people talking about the opportunities, learning, and incredible networking.”
— 2024 Northern Ontario Tourism Summit Attendee
