A recent video project in Frontenac County has shown what’s possible when regional partners align around a shared goal. Through the collaboration of Frontenac County, its four townships, two regional tourism organizations (RTO 9 and Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization), and Destination Ontario, a two-minute-and-twenty-second video was created that speaks volumes.

This short but impactful piece doesn’t just showcase scenery; it uses storytelling to show people what Frontenac County is all about.

The concept came out of the County’s Destination Development Plan (DDP), approved in 2022, which emphasized the need for better storytelling. 

Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development, said the plan included “some recommendations in terms of storytelling about Frontenac County,” and that it prompted work to “expand on our existing brand from a tourism perspective.”

Initially, the plan included a new website as part of the effort to modernize tourism content, but when funding for additional staff resources didn’t come through to lead the project, the team continued developing the video knowing there was a growing need for dynamic, visual content across all channels. 

“We just kept moving along with the video knowing we would find ways to leverage it, knowing there was a need for videos and need for more dynamic content across our channels,” said Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer.

This led the County to seek advice from its regional tourism partners, which in turn led to a collaborative promotion strategy across all of the organizations. RTO 9 and OHTO integrated promotion of the video into their own campaigns and marketing while Destination Ontario helped extend the video’s reach even further by hosting it on their own webpages for both North and South Frontenac. 

Debbi noted the opportunity to collaborate with both RTOs was “so helpful,” and acknowledged the complexity that comes with it: “When you have two RTOs it’s double the things, being able to be on a project where we all come together—it’s powerful to see that happen.”

What makes the final product especially meaningful is who appears in it. Everyone featured is from the community, including local business owners, entrepreneurs, and residents representing different corners of the county. 

“I think is a testament to the work that’s done in our region and the businesses in our region,” said Debbi. “The project reflects a continued effort to give our existing residents and businesses a voice, a chance to be our partners in spreading the word.”

Throughout the video development, care was taken to ensure the stories featured in the video reflected the diversity of Frontenac’s geography and experiences. 

“We have folks from the islands, and folks from North  Central and South Frontenac as well,” said Richard. “We wanted to make sure we were capturing stories that covered the range of experiences and covered the themes in the DDP that revolved around outdoor recreation, culinary experiences and arts and culture.”

That same thoughtfulness guided the follow-up content. In 2025, recognizing the original video’s length, the team worked with Braden Dragomir from Untold Storytelling to break it into a series of shorter reels tied to tourism campaigns around trails, food and drink, and the outdoors. Braden reviewed the County’s brand standards and worked with the team to align the reels with the broader marketing themes developed by RTO 9 and OHTO.

Distribution was also a shared effort. Destination Ontario amplified the content through its digital channels and social platforms, helping to target campaigns to specific audiences like Quebec. The video is also already being used in practical ways, like on a loop at trade shows, in council presentations, and at networking events. 

But perhaps the strongest validation is the response from locals. Richard noted that “some of the language, the themes, people are repeating them in the comments,” showing that the message isn’t just reaching visitors—it’s resonating with residents. 

The project may be short in runtime, but its reach—and its collaborative foundation—are substantial. 

“A big thank you to OHTO and RTO 9 and DO and all of the businesses and community members and townships and everyone who was involved in the video,” said Debbi. “A huge thank you for all of the time filming, the time spent having conversations about the video.”

As the region continues to share the video and build on its momentum with new content and campaign tie-ins, the story of Frontenac is no longer just something being told by the County—it’s being shared by the people who call it home.

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