Culture and tourism go hand in hand. Cultural attractions and events contribute to tourism impact by sharing the story of a community or region which draw visitors interested in learning about that story. 

In Ontario’s Highlands, that story lives in the studios, theatres, museums, local music, food and drink  and the work of artists, artisans and makers. For visitors, these experiences are more than pleasant additions to a trip. Including an arts and culture element in your offerings can create powerful reasons for a visitor to visit, stay longer and return.

Whether you run an accommodation, restaurant, retail store, attraction or outdoor experience, the good news is you do not need to become an arts organization to celebrate and include culture in your offering. A curated partnership or arts and culture element can enrich what you already offer while supporting the people who make the region distinctive.

The Case for Culture

As highlighted earlier this year in OHTO's Unlocking Tourism Trends 2026 Edition, culture is a significant tourism driver in Ontario. A study by the Ontario Arts Council found that more than 18.4 million trips to or within Ontario included an arts or culture activity, accounting for 30 per cent of tourist spending, generating approximately $618 in economic impact per trip, and $11.4B in annual visitor spending in Ontario.

In a 2023 Ontario Arts Council survey, 90 per cent of Ontarians agreed that an active local arts scene makes a community a better place to live. Close to 90 per cent said arts participation builds community identity and brings people from different backgrounds together.

What does this data tell us? It tells us that visitors are travelling specifically to access arts and culture experiences, spending more per day during that travel, and that spending contributes to building the community identity for the community they are visiting.

The question becomes how can tourism operators benefit from this interest in cultural travel by including culture in their own offerings? 

Five Ideas to Include Culture in Your Offering

  1. Invite visitors to meet a maker
    Partner with a local artist, musician, writer or maker for a demonstration, talk or workshop hosted at your event. For example, an accommodation could host an evening class, a cafe could feature a short performance or an outdoor operator could add an arts workshop. 
  2. Share the stories of your experience or place
    Use a guided walk, recorded story or talk to help visitors understand the history and traditions connected to your location. When a story belongs to a particular community, work with the people who hold that knowledge and obtain permission before sharing it.
  3. Pair culture with nature, food or wellness
    For outdoor operators, consider adding local music, a meal paired with storytelling, a fall-colour tour with an artist’s studio visit or a wellness weekend with a creative workshop. Combining experiences gives visitors a natural reason to stay longer.
  4. Build an itinerary with neighbours
    Partner with nearby studios, galleries, museums, restaurants and accommodations to round out the overall experience of a visit to your experience. 
  5. Promote the people behind the experience
    Introduce the artist, storyteller or cultural partner in your marketing. Use real images to show what visitors will do, how long it takes and what they will take away. Human stories build trust and create a stronger connection to place.

Take Part in Culture Days 2026

Ontario Culture Days is a provincial event celebration of free arts, culture and heritage experiences in Ontario. In 2026 the festival runs from Sept. 18 to Oct. 4, creating the perfect opportunity to include culture in fall programming.

For businesses interested in being part of Ontario Culture Days, here’s what you need to know:

  • Eligible events to participate in Culture Days include workshops, performances, tours, installations, open studios and behind-the-scenes experiences. 
  • Commercial businesses can participate when the event has a clear cultural connection, is free or pay-what-you-may, and is not sales-driven.
  • Registration is free. 
  • Registered events receive a geo-located national listing, searchable tags, promotional templates and exposure through the national campaign.
  • Registration closes on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026
  • If three or more nearby or related events participate, organizers can create a Culture Days Hub to strengthen cross-promotion and turn individual activities into a fuller visitor itinerary.

Ontario’s Highlands already has the essential ingredients for compelling cultural tourism: creative people, distinctive communities, rich histories and inspiring landscapes. Start with one local partnership, one story or one hands-on moment. It may become the detail visitors remember most, and the reason they plan their next trip.

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