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Innisfil, ON – The Town of Innisfil Economic Development Office has challenged local businesses to a new Fall Tourism Challenge to attract more visitors to the area. Local retailers, restaurateurs, and tourism operators are invited to collaborate on developing new experience packages in return for the chance to be featured in a new fall marketing campaign valued at more than $5,000.

“Innisfil welcomes over a million visitors to our community every year, however, many of those guests visit only one destination in Innisfil before heading home,” says Innisfil Mayor, Lynn Dollin. “The goal of the Fall Tourism Challenge is to highlight all that we have to offer by encouraging visitors to spend time travelling within Innisfil and exploring those hidden gems we all know and love.”

The Fall Tourism Challenge was announced at a recent event in Cookstown at which Leslie Fournier, a placemaking champion, inspired attendees with ideas on building vibrant communities and welcoming main streets.

“The positive energy from everyone was amazing, especially discussions around the idea of local businesses working together to make Innisfil even more vibrant in the tourism sector,” says attendee Anna Kowalczyk-Slowy, Founder & Owner of Bubbly Bites Co., a new Innisfil-based catering company. “The focus on collaboration, community art projects, and new tourism opportunities created a sense of excitement and a shared vision for the future, and I already have meetings scheduled next week to see how I can work together with other local businesses to build a new fall experience.”

The Innisfil Fall Tourism Challenge is a unique experience for local businesses to work together on the common goal of attracting more visitors to the area. Eligible visitor experiences must include a partnership between two or more Innisfil-based businesses and take place within the Town of Innisfil during October. Examples of eligible experiences might include a local woodworker who pairs with a food producer to deliver a charcuterie workshop, or an artist who partners with a restaurant for an autumn-themed ‘paint and sip’ event. The top 10-12 experiences will be promoted through a dedicated marketing campaign, which will begin in early September and run through the end of October.

Business leaders can find more information, including application details, at innisfil.ca/TourismPartner. The deadline to submit ideas for fall tourism experiences is July 4, 2025. To learn more about the Town of Innisfil Economic Development team, business support programs and events, subscribe to the Economic Development Newsletter at innisfil.ca/EcDevNews.