Making Vaughan a destination of choice

With a mission to establish Vaughan as a premier tourism destination, the City of Vaughan’s Tourism Vaughan team undertakes key strategic projects that align with the Vaughan Destination Master Plan (VDMP). Through product development, marketing and education and strong collaboration with and in support of operators, the VDMP lays out a comprehensive plan for developing Vaughan’s tourism-related industry cluster.

On World Tourism Day, the City is sharing an overview of Tourism Vaughan’s initiatives and achievements outlined in the Tourism Vaughan: 2022 Year in Review (PDF) – which was recently approved by Vaughan Council.

Here are some of the 2022 tourism highlights: 

• Tourism Vaughan Advisory Committee: An advisory committee made up of tourism industry leaders was formed to provide the Tourism Vaughan Board of Directors with tourism-related best practices, recommendations and education of the industry to ensure greater accountability, and to help build stronger relationships with local tourism stakeholders. 
• Tourism Innovation Lab: Vaughan is the first city in the Greater Toronto Area to launch a “Spark” Mentorship and Grants Program with the Tourism Innovation Lab.
• Better Your Business: Tourism Diversity Program: Received $100,000 in funding through the Tourism Relief Fund from FedDev Ontario, as administered by Central Counties Tourism.
• Vaughan’s Tourism Investment Pipeline: Tourism Vaughan provided advisory and promotional assistance for more than 70 events, from festivals and hiring events to business conferences and sports competitions. 

• #SupportVaughanLocal: In partnership with the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Vaughan delivered the #SupportVaughanLocal campaign to support local small businesses through awareness building and promotion across six tourism-based categories.

• Hostinvaughan.ca: A strategic marketing and communications plan targeted at marketing and event professionals was launched in 2022 to promote hostinvaughan.ca.

• Municipal Accommodations Tax (MAT) Collection: Actual MAT collection at year-end in 2022 exceeded the budgeted projection.

Looking ahead, the Tourism Vaughan team and Economic Development department will continue to champion Vaughan as a premier overnight destination for leisure, sport and business travellers, undertaking initiatives to assist in rebuilding Vaughan’s tourism industry.

To learn more about tourism in Vaughan, visit vaughan.ca/TVC and follow Tourism Vaughan on Instagram. 

QUOTES

“Tourism Vaughan, with its mandate of developing our city as a tourist destination for visitors and business travellers, is vital to our economic future. The team continues to build relationships with operators to provide a better experience for residents and visitors alike; offer vital tools to enhance the experience of visiting Vaughan; and are thinking strategically to build on our city’s position as a premier tourism destination. I would like to congratulate the Tourism Vaughan team for their ongoing efforts to attract visitors to our city in a post-pandemic world. The achievements summarized in this report are remarkable, and I look forward to Tourism Vaughan’s future accomplishments.”

- Mayor Steven Del Duca

“As part of the Economic Development department, Tourism Vaughan directly supports the local tourism business community. The team’s work is integral to guiding industry and municipal investment in developing Vaughan as a destination – including visitor attraction infrastructure and physical assets, and services and programs related to the visitor experience. On behalf of the Senior Leadership Team – Executive, I want to congratulate the Tourism Vaughan team on the initiatives and achievements outlined in this review.”

- Nick Spensieri, City Manager

“The Tourism Vaughan team goes above and beyond to bring their mission to establish Vaughan as a premier tourism destination to reality. The Tourism Vaughan: 2022 Year in Review is proof of the incredible work the team is doing to develop Vaughan’s tourism-related industry cluster. I want to congratulate the entire Tourism Vaughan team on the successes they’ve achieved in 2022, and I look forward to many more accomplishments in the years ahead.”

- Raphael Costa, Director, Economic Development

QUICK FACTS

• The Tourism Vaughan team undertakes key strategic projects that align with the Vaughan Destination Master Plan (PDF). 

• The Tourism Vaughan: 2022 Year in Review (PDF) showcases an overview of the Tourism Vaughan team’s initiatives and achievements, and outlines plans for 2023.

• Connect with the Tourism Vaughan team by email at tourism@vaughan.ca or by phone at 905-832-8526. 

LEARN MORE 

• Economic Development’s Tourism Vaughan: 2022 Year in Review (PDF)
• Economic Development’s website
• Visit Vaughan website
• Host in Vaughan website
• Economic Development department’s eNewsletter
• Tourism Vaughan’s Instagram

To stay informed on the City’s latest tourism, business resources and initiatives, sign up for the Economic Development department’s eNewsletters at vaughanbusiness.ca/enewsletters and follow the official channels on LinkedIn and Instagram.

For the latest updates, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.