Back to SearchTown’s focus remains on promoting local businesses and experiences while continuing to drive the largest increase in local tourism in almost a decade
“Tourism in Wasaga Beach is up more than 20 per cent above 2019 levels, to its highest level in almost a decade, and this is no coincidence. This Council continues taking action to promote Wasaga Beach as a top destination for visitors and investment by building the necessary infrastructure, programming exciting new live music festivals and events, and promoting local businesses and experiences. Its part of our plan to build a more vibrant, resilient and complete community while we help grow tourism across our region,” said Mayor Brian Smith.
Wasaga Beach – Wasaga Beach’s 2024 summer sports and live music programming is in full swing, local tourism is up to its highest levels in almost a decade, and the Town of Wasaga Beach is celebrating this success by adopting a bold new tourism plan and tourism website to keep the numbers trending upward.
Today the Town announced that in addition to programming a full summer 2024 live music lineup that includes rock legend Tom Cochrane, and launching a new arms-length corporation dedicated to programming sports and live music entertainment that will help drive high-value tourism, it is taking the following new actions:
- Adopting a new Tourism Destination Management Plan (TDMP) that emphasizes a locals-first approach to tourism destination management, with goals filtered through a lens of resident quality of life, economic prosperity, sociocultural vibrancy, inclusiveness, and environmental sustainability.
- Launching a new tourism website to more effectively promote Town-organized festivals and events, as well as local businesses and experiences.
The new TDMP outlines actions that the Town will take to continue to promote Wasaga Beach as a top Ontario destination for visitors and investment. Highlights include:
- fostering the creation of new “legendary” visitor experiences
- emphasizing the development of attractions during off-peak tourism seasons
- grounding future tourism development in environmentally sustainable, regenerative tourism practices
- exploring the implementation of a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) that would shift the costs of developing Wasaga Beach’s tourism sector off of full-time residents and on to out-of-town visitors who benefit from the Town’s efforts and new, year-round sports and live music programming
Quick facts
- In 2019, considered a pre-pandemic benchmark year for global tourism, Wasaga Beach attracted over 1.5 million visitors. In 2022, the number of visitors was down to 1.1 million, representing a drop of 4.4% since 2019.
- In 2023, Wasaga Beach saw a significant increase in tourism — with almost 2 million visitors in 2023 — marking a 20.9% rise compared to the 2019 benchmark. This demonstrates a strong recovery and growing number of tourists since the pandemic. (source: County of Simcoe and BP Insights, 2024)
- Adopting a bold new Tourism Destination Management Plan is Council priority #52 as outlined in the 2022-2026 Term of Council Priorities.
Additional resources
Read the Destination Management Plan (TDMP).
See the data in the context of the Town’s transformational beachfront redevelopment project (25:55 mark).
Visit the Town’s new tourism website: ExploreWasagaBeach.com.
About Wasaga Beach
The Town of Wasaga Beach aims to be a place where people come to create memories that will last a lifetime. The actions and initiatives that the Town is taking – to adopt a new, ambitious Tourism Destination Management Plan and launch a new tourism marketing website – supports this vision and Council’s priorities: to diversify the economy and create jobs. It’s part of the Town’s plan to become a leader in sustainability, creativity, live music festivals and family friendly fun – a place with thriving businesses and safe, inclusive and complete neighbourhoods – where we celebrate our rich history, diversity of cultures and natural beauty, including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
Media contact:
Sandra Watts
Director of Strategic Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
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