Ontario Resort Owners Expect A Strong Upcoming Winter Vacation Season

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 29, 2006 ) Cedar Park, TX -- Based on a number of the traditional indicators, cottage resort owners in Central Ontario are expecting another winter with strong bookings.One key factor indicating a strong winter vacation season in Ontario Canada is the increase in Web site traffic and internet directories to travel-related sites. The Ontario Travel website (www.ontariotravel.net) is reporting a 25% increase in traffic to their site over last year. Mark Coles, a web site marketing consultant for Haliburton Tourism, notes that the traffic to www.haliburton-tourism.com has also increased by a significant 70%.Not only are people visiting travel related sites, they are also making travel plans that are geared around Canadian winter vacation packages. Bruce McClennan, owner of Ogopogo Resort (http://www.ogopogoresort.com), an Ontario resort in the Haliburton Highlands, has a keen sense of what drives tourists to his Canadian resort and states, “We strive to provide a package of activities which will meet the interests of any guest. We also cater to romantic couples just looking for a relaxing getaway – complete with gourmet dinners catered to the cottage and spa service.”By offering packages and a wide array of outdoor winter activities, resort owners are able to capitalize on the projections for a strong winter vacation resort season. Although Ontario overnight entries from the U.S. were down by some 5.6% in September 2006 from the year before, international entries were up. Despite the decrease in overnight entries from the U.S., the average resort occupancy rate was up and remains strong; indicating a stronger International tourist presence.Ogopogo Resort is gearing up for the winter season and McClennan is positive when he says, “It is mid November and we are already fully booked for the Christmas and New Years holiday. This is the earliest we’ve sold out for this period in my memory. In addition, early bookings for the winter, particularly February, are strong.”Further supporting the premise that Ontario resort owners are expecting a strong winter vacation season is the travel price index, which is up only 0.9% year over year. Although room rates have increased nominally, gas prices have decreased some 20% over the 2006 peaks so that the total cost of travel has decreased on an inflation- adjusted basis.More economical travel and milder temperature forecasts should have a positive impact on Canadian tourism. Long term weather forecasts, both from the Canadian Weather office and the Farmer’s Almanac are indicating near normal temperatures for Ontario and western Quebec with slightly below normal snowfall. “This is good news - really cold temperatures deter people from resort getaways, as do repeated heavy snow storms which make travel more difficult. We always have enough snow in this part of the province for the many snow based activities,” says McClennan.All of these indicators point to great winter season for Ontario cottage resort owners and guests alike. Ontario resort properties that offer packages and outdoor experiences for guests to get active and enjoy the winter vacation season stand to benefit the most. Industry insiders have noted that both tourists from outside Canada and domestic resort guests want more than just a roof over their heads and a bed to sleep in. They seek to broaden their knowledge base and enrich their vacation experiences with activities that are not available in urban environments or in the fabric of their daily routines.To learn more about Ogopogo Resort and their winter specials and packages, please visit their Web site at http://www.ogopogoresort.com or call 705-286-5141.Contact:Ogopogo ResortBruce McClennanRR#2 Minden, ON K0M 2K0http://www.ogopogoresort.cominfo@ogopogoresort.com Distribution by http://www.first-page-seo.com and http://PRNN.com.

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