About Ontario’s Southwest

Ontario’s Southwest Tourism Strategy

Ontario’s Southwest (OSW) is a Regional Tourism Organization, funded by the provincial Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and governed by an independent Board of Directors. OSW works collaboratively with tourism stakeholders to increase revenue, profit, & employment, and champion tourism as a vital economic driver.

The last few years have been unlike any that the tourism industry has ever witnessed, and it became evident that tourism was never going to be the same. To continue to support tourism supply and attract visitors, working with Twenty31 Consulting Inc., OSW developed a new strategic plan to identify priorities for the organization ensuring it remains relevant and competitive.

The following document identifies priorities for OSW while considering the need for a potentially shifting environment, ensuring OSW remains sustainable, relevant and competitive as a travel destination.

Vision

Ontario's Southwest is a year-round destination offering highly sought experiences for visitors and residents.

Mission

Creating a vibrant and inclusive tourism sector that balances the needs of our visitors, tourism partners, communities, and environment.

Guiding Principles

  1. We preserve our environment and places while balancing the needs of our local communities and businesses, and their many unique identities.

  2. We thrive when we are inclusive, diverse and equitable.

  3. We make deliberate decisions that are rooted in evidence and we remain adaptable to change by constantly keeping a pulse on the situational context.

  4. We unite the entire tourism industry and its supporters through open communication, collaboration, and partnerships.

  5. We are innovative and bold, moving with intention and confidence, going where we may not have been willing to go before.

OSW Pillars

  • three people crossing pride crosswalk

    Tourism Leadership

    Establish OSW as a regional tourism leader

  • woman holding flight of beer

    Tourism Supply Support

    Optimize 2022 tourism potential & set up supply for 2022+

  • family holding hands walking in snow

    Tourism Demand Attraction

    Increase visitation over next three years

Previous strategic planning documents retained for
reference purposes only:

OSW Strategic Recover Play 2020-2022, Revised Sept 2021

Transforming OSW into a World-Class RTO – Strategic Plan for 2018-2020