The head of the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board says more than $4.5 million was brought into the local economy through tourism initiatives in 2019.
Dug Stevenson gave an update to Quinte West Council on Tuesday, outlining some of the organizations highlights and accomplishments from last year, with the city contributing about 30% of the board’s $410,500 budget.
He says there was a 9% jump in people staying in the area, but much of that came in the short-term accommodation sector, not in traditional hotels.
Director of Planning and Development Brian Jardine told council that because of that jump, the city is looking at a way to regulate AirBnB-type accommodations and how to get more revenue from them, through the municipal accommodation tax.
Among the board’s other highlights was the addition of an Ontario travel package through the American Automobile Association, which highlights the region to close to five million US tourists, as one of five prime locations in the province to visit
Stevenson added that it was a banner year for residential attraction, with a 17.8% jump in residential dollar sales growth.
