Many tourism businesses struggle to get noticed beyond their local market. Media coverage, travel trade relationships, and the right partnerships can put your product in front of travellers who are already planning trips to Canada. National tools from Destination Canada are designed to help tourism operators promote their experiences in a consistent, credible way.
Promoting tourism products works best when you combine three channels: media exposure, travel trade sales, and strategic partnerships. Each plays a different role in reaching domestic and international visitors.
Media coverage builds trust fast. Journalists and content creators help tell your story to audiences who may not know your destination or experience.
Destination Canada offers free marketing and media tools to help tourism businesses present themselves professionally and align with Canada’s national brand.
Key tools and supports include:
These tools are available online and do not require an application or fee. They are especially useful if you are pitching to travel media or hosting a familiarization (FAM) tour.
Tools like GrantHub’s eligibility matcher can help you filter programs by province and industry in seconds if you’re also looking for funding to support marketing costs.
The travel trade includes travel agents, tour operators, and wholesalers. These partners package your product and sell it to travellers, often in international markets.
For businesses in Atlantic Canada, the Atlantic Canada Travel Trade Market Readiness Program provides guidance on how to work effectively with the travel trade.
This program supports tourism businesses that:
Support focuses on best practices such as pricing, commission structures, booking systems, and product packaging. While this program does not provide direct funding, it helps businesses become “market-ready,” which is often required before trade partners will work with you.
Partnerships help you promote more without increasing your budget.
Common tourism partnerships include:
Destination Canada tools encourage collaboration that aligns with national and regional tourism strategies. This makes your product easier to promote through media and trade channels already marketing Canada as a destination.
Strong partnerships also make your business more competitive when applying for tourism grants that prioritize collaboration and regional impact.
Pitching media without a clear story
Journalists want unique experiences and strong visuals, not sales copy. Use Destination Canada storytelling tools to refine your angle.
Approaching the travel trade too early
If your pricing, capacity, or booking systems are not ready, trade partners may say no. Market readiness support exists for a reason.
Ignoring brand consistency
Using off-brand visuals or messaging can weaken your credibility, especially in international markets.
Trying to do everything alone
Partnerships reduce costs and increase exposure. Many tourism programs favour collaborative promotion.
Q: Are Destination Canada tools a grant or funding program?
No. Destination Canada – Tools provide guidance, templates, and insights, not direct funding.
Q: Who can use Destination Canada marketing tools?
They are generally available to Canadian tourism and hospitality businesses and organizations of all sizes.
Q: Do I need to apply to access Destination Canada tools?
No application is required. The resources are publicly available online.
Q: Can these tools help attract international visitors?
Yes. The tools align your business with Canada’s national tourism brand and global marketing strategy, which is designed for international markets.
Q: Is there support specifically for working with travel agents and tour operators?
Yes. Programs like the Atlantic Canada Travel Trade Market Readiness Program provide guidance on working with travel trade partners.
GrantHub tracks hundreds of active grant and support programs across Canada — check which ones match your business profile.
Start by tightening your story and making sure your product is ready for media and trade exposure. National tools from Destination Canada can guide your marketing approach, while regional programs support travel trade readiness. When you are ready to explore funding that supports tourism promotion, GrantHub helps you see which programs fit your location, size, and goals.
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