The City of Peterborough is developing a tourism strategy that aims to position the city as a competitive, sustainable, four-season destination, with community input playing a central role in the process.
Over the coming months, residents and tourism-sector businesses will have opportunities to share ideas through surveys, focus groups and in-person sessions.
Communications Specialist Cara Walsh says public input is vital to this process.
Walsh adds an online survey is already open and will accept responses until the end of October, while community cafés are set to take place in mid-November.
The City has hired Bannikin, an Ontario-based tourism consultancy, to guide the work. A draft Tourism Strategy is expected to be presented to city council in spring 2026. Walsh says being a ‘four-season’ destination is key.
Brendan Wedley, the city’s director of strategic communications and service, said the new strategy builds on recent successes since Peterborough brought tourism service delivery in-house earlier this year.
“The City has had some incredible wins … including successfully landing the Women’s Major Series Lacrosse Tournament, the TELUS Cup, and securing media coverage like CP24 Breakfast,” Wedley said. “The new Peterborough Tourism Strategy allows for us to play to our strengths, develop opportunities, collaborate with businesses and community organizations, and ultimately, define how we position our destination for visitation and sustainable growth in 2026 and beyond.”
In addition to the survey and cafés, the city says engagement activities will include key informant interviews with elected officials, First Nation leaders, and local partners, as well as focus groups with tourism business clusters.
Residents can find updates, including dates and registration details, on the city’s engagement portal at connectptbo.ca/tourism-strategy.
(Written by: Jordan Mercier)
