Destination Canada — Tourism Sprint Program

Tourism operators and destination organizations often have strong ideas to improve visitor experiences but struggle to move quickly when early-stage funding is limited. The Destination Canada — Tourism Sprint Program is designed for exactly those moments, helping tourism-focused businesses and organizations across Canada test, refine, or advance short-term projects that can unlock larger investment opportunities. The program focuses on innovation and speed, supporting initiatives that remove barriers and help destinations become more competitive in the global tourism market.

Through this program, Destination Canada provides non-repayable funding of up to about $25,000, typically covering a portion of eligible project costs. Projects are expected to move quickly, making the program well suited for time-sensitive initiatives such as developing new tourism products, advancing shovel-ready concepts, or strengthening demand-generating experiences aligned with existing tourism or destination plans. Support is available nationally and can benefit for-profit tourism businesses, not-for-profits, Indigenous organizations, and public-sector entities working to grow local and regional tourism economies.

The Tourism Sprint Program runs through competitive intakes that open periodically, rather than being continuously available. For tourism and hospitality organizations looking to accelerate a project and attract further investment, understanding how this program works—and whether your idea fits its objectives—can be a valuable next step worth exploring in more detail.