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Don’t let their email find you! Instead book a “very important meeting” with Durham Tourism and spend the day living your best life! 

Check out our Out of Office page and choose your itinerary. Will you feel the sun on your face while biking the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail? Unplug with a cold plunge at Thermëa Spa Village? Or feel like royalty at the home and gardens of the Parkwood National Historic Site?

You decide, then we’ll block off the day in your calendar and email you a suggested itinerary that includes other fun stops and eats along the way. (Please note that any spa reservations and admission tickets must be booked and paid for separately.)  

Some of the best breweries and cideries in Durham Region will be in the spotlight at the 2024 Scugog Beer & Cider Festival. The event runs August 2 and 3 at Palmer Park in Port Perry.  

Local food trucks will also be serving up delicious food, and for the first time, there will be a Vendor Market featuring goods from area businesses and artisans.  

Plus, Uxbridge’s own Leah Daniels will be headlining the festival on August 3, performing some of her country music favourites, alongside other great local acts. 

Save the Date: North Durham Building Business Forum

This is your notice to mark your calendars for the 2024 North Durham Building Business Forum.  

The annual event is all about bringing together small business owners to build strategic connections, be inspired by new ideas, learn about available business supports, and celebrate the successes of local entrepreneurs.  

This year’s forum will take place October 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation Health & Resource Centre Hall. Registration will open in late August.

More information to come in the weeks ahead. 

Durham Region Business Owners:

Count Your Business In

Free Ride to Pickering Waterfront

The City of Pickering is making it easier for people to enjoy the waterfront.

It’s teamed up with Durham Region Transit to offer a free shuttle on weekends and Statutory Holidays. 

Route 100 is new for 2024 and will ensure visitors can get to all their favourite waterfront activities, including the Nautical Village shopping area, Frenchman’s Bay, Alex Robertson Park and the Waterfront Trail. 

The shuttle runs every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and Statutory Holidays right through to Labour Day on September 2. While Route 100 is free, standard fares apply when boarding all other routes. 

Current News & Trends

Restaurants Canada has put together an alternative alcohol ordering resources list for operators during the LCBO strike. Restaurants Canada is a national not-for-profit association representing the foodservice industry. The list provides various sources for local breweries, distilleries and wineries. View the alternative ordering options here. 

The 2SLGBTQI+ travel market in Canada is worth about $12 billion annually according to Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce. A recent information session hosted by Durham Tourism provided an overview of the 2SLGBTQI+ travel market and is now available to view online. The session also explains Rainbow Registered — the accreditation program for businesses that are committed to providing a safe, inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQI+ community.     

Breweries in Durham Region have long been worth the visit. But it is no longer just beer on tap—you can include tourism as well. Beer tourism—that is travel for those who are interested in breweries or beer-related activities—offers great economic potential. Destinations International, a global association for destination professionals, offers a few ideas to boost ‘beercations’ including knowing your brew scene, offering event and beer collaborations and creating beer content. Learn more from Good Things Brewing: 5 Ways to Use Breweries to Promote Your Destination. 

The Whitby Ribfest is getting a funding boost from the province. The Rotary Club of Whitby Sunrise received $20,000 from the Ontario government through its Experience Ontario 2024 program. The funding is part of $19.5 million that is being invested in festivals and events across the province through the program.

The number of visitors to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which includes Durham Region, was up in 2023 to 45.9 million. That is a 12 per cent increase year-over-year according to a report prepared by Tourism Economics. Direct visitor spending in the GTA was also higher; growing 16 per cent in 2023 to $12.3 billion. View the 2023 report of the Economic Impact of Visitors in Toronto.

Brands and influencers who are looking to increase their organic reach will want to bookmark Hootsuite's Complete List of Social Media Holidays [2024 Edition]. Not every hashtag holiday will resonate with your audience, but choosing the right one can go a long way to building relationships with your ideal customers and giving your brand a boost.