From Hidden Gem to Tourism Hotspot: How Carleton Place Built a Coveted Daytrip Destination

One of the fastest growing communities in Eastern Ontario, the town of Carleton Place has been working hard over the past five years to keep up with growth while simultaneously investing in tourism and recreation to better the lives of both residents and visitors. 

Today, that investment is paying off.

A team effort between the town of Carleton Place and the Carleton Place & District Chamber of Commerce along with other tourism stakeholders to form Carleton Place Tourism has enabled the town to make that remarkable leap from charming small town to something more: a destination. 

The interesting thing about the Carleton Place transformation is it didn’t happen by accident but has been slowly expanding its tourism focus for more than a decade.  It was 14 years ago that the town entered into an agreement with the Chamber of Commerce to take the lead on establishing a dedicated Visitor Information Centre and annual Information Guide geared for both visitors and residents.

“With increased opportunity for grant funding and more buy-in the town has been incrementally investing into tourism and placemaking assets that benefit both visitors and residents,” said Jackie Kavanagh, Manager of the Carleton Place & District Chamber of Commerce and the Carleton Place Visitor Information Centre. 

That investment led to the development of the Destination Development Action Plan (DDAP) that was part of the Regional Tourism Relief Fund program delivered by the Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO) in 2022-2023.

The DDAP resulted in more purposeful partnerships and collaborations and enabled the addition of more tourism-dedicated staff and marketing dollars.

“The DDAP gave us structure, OHTO gave us resources, and we brought in our community and partners to shape the path forward,” explained  Jackie. “Since then we’ve been adding little pieces year over year to more fully have the tourism services people are looking for when they come to a community.”

Growing Year by Year

While the town has historically made recreation an investment focus, new investment in tourism has significantly contributed to the community’s overall attraction as a daytrip or weekend destination and has also supported new activities for residents to enjoy.

Following the development of the DDAP, Carleton Place has checked off major deliverables.

• Bikes, kayaks, snowshoes, and even oversized chess piece rentals have become an added draw for visitors.
• Events like the live shows at Town Hall, photo walks, and shopping bus tours offer more attraction.
• Seasonal mini-guides, walking tours, and a growing portfolio of niche itineraries were developed.
• A partnership to bring Kayakomat, a self-serve rental station, was the first in the region.

Partnering for Success

Jackie explained the Carleton Place Tourism partnership is an opportunity to gain traction and reach new markets with the help of other like-minded organizations and communities. While establishing partnerships takes time and effort, they ultimately bring an amplified reward.

“Partnerships give us exposure we wouldn’t have been able to achieve alone,” said Jackie. “Carleton Place has benefitted from OHTO’s regional amplification, like being featured in newsletters, the Come Wander brand ecosystem, as well as from Ontario by Bike promotions and cross-posts on Lanark County’s channels.”

Other collaborations include working with the Carleton Place Business Improvement Area (BIA), the Town of Carleton Place’s Culture and Recreation department, the Lanark County Tourism Association, the Town of Mississippi Mills, Ride the Highlands and tourism operators in Carleton Place and area. 

These investments into partnerships and collaborations have generated significant impact for the town of Carleton Place and have recently begun to see visible traction. 

The town is now part of the MORE Cycle Route, connecting Carleton Place to Ottawa and amplifying its appeal to cycle tourists. In 2024, Stalwart Brewing Co. was named the best bicycle-friendly business in Ontario’s Highlands. The town’s partnership with Ontario by Bike to host cycle tours brought a combined economic impact of just under $50,000, largely benefitting accommodations, restaurants and shops. 

“We moved from reactive tourism support to proactive destination management – and it shows,” said Jackie. 

By the Numbers

Since 2020, visitation to the Visitor Information Centre has more than tripled, something can be credited to strategic investment in product development, marketing, and the rollout of the DDAP.

“In 2019 we had what were then our strongest tourism numbers on record but like most communities we saw a major drop in 2020 due to the pandemic,” said Jackie. “In 2025 we’ve surpassed 2019 visitation levels with more than 100 per cent growth since the launch of the DDAP. It’s a clear return on investment and a sign that Carleton Place is firmly on the tourism map.”

• Visitor Centre traffic rose over 33% from 2023 to 2024.
• Social media reach grew 84%, with followers more than doubling.
• Paid marketing campaigns reached 100,000+ people, with click-through rates higher than average.
• Influencer campaigns reached nearly 400,000 people.
• The community now attracts visitors from Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, and 25+ international countries.
• Local hotels reported higher occupancy and daily rates, and the town welcomed thousands of new residents.

“It’s not just about tourism, it’s about livability,” Jackie stressed. “People come to visit, and they end up staying. There’s often a direct link between tourism investment and visitation to the growth of any community.”

Seeing Results

In 2024, Carleton Place was voted Best Small Town in Eastern Ontario by Chez 106.1 radio. That kind of recognition isn’t random, it’s the result of years of work. Whether it’s welcoming new residents with curated tourism tools or having Santa pose for scavenger hunt photos, the town is leaning into its identity and invites others to feel it, too.

And the pride is contagious. High school students are now piloting an Ambassador Program, helping to spread the word and spread community pride. The downtown core continues to grow and thrive, thanks to work done by the BIA, the revitalization of the main street, and an influx of new residents from expanded housing developments in the community.

“We’ve seen a correlation between effort and investment and the number of businesses opening in town,” said Jackie. “A lot of those businesses are setting up here because they know our community is growing.”

More to Do

The work isn’t over when it comes to growing tourism and destination development in Carleton Place. Plans are in motion to digitize visitor data collection, launch more bookable packages and experiences, and bring in new signage and business training.

But if the past five years have proven anything, it’s that Carleton Place doesn’t sit still for long.

“With more and more Canadians choosing to take vacations within Canada and the European market eyeing Canada as a preferred North American destination, this small town perched on the doorstep of the nation’s capital is poised to step into the spotlight and claim its moment to shine.”