Kawartha Lakes Tourism is pleased to be working with The New Business (TNB) on the development and launch of a refreshed destination brand and marketing plan.

This project represents a significant step toward attracting new visitors while ensuring repeat travellers continue to enjoy all that our region has to offer.

Central to this initiative is the commitment to authenticity. Together with TNB, we have engaged local stakeholders and communities to ensure the brand and marketing strategies reflect the true essence of Kawartha Lakes — its people, landscapes, and unique experiences.

Through workshops, surveys, and consultations, we have gathered diverse perspectives that have shaped a new tourism brand aligned with community aspirations and visitor expectations, and have informed a new 2-year marketing plan.

New Tourism Brand

Through successful collaboration with industry stakeholders, communities and visitors a new, refreshed brand for Kawartha Lakes Tourism has been developed.
Rooted in the Kawartha Lakes Strategic Plan and the Kawartha Lakes Destination Development Plan (DDP), the new tourism brand aims to attract visitors and increase visitor spending by showcasing the everyday magic of Kawartha Lakes. Building on the success of the municipal 'Jump In' brand, the goals for the tourism brand are to achieve broader awareness of the region as a destination; to represent a wider range of activities to encourage visitors to explore beyond cottaging and lakes; and to capture and communicate Kawartha Lakes' distinct personality.

Kawartha Lakes Tourism will unveil the new brand on September 25, 2025 alongside the launch of the refreshed Explore Kawartha Lakes tourism website. A first look of the brand, its launch campaign and the new two-year marketing plan will be presented to the local tourism stakeholders that participated in the stakeholder engagement component of the project and were influential in the development of the brand and marketing plan at a stakeholder brand workshop being held on September 3, 2026.

Our Collaborative Journey

Our stakeholders and community members were an integral part of this project.

We are grateful to everyone who shared their time and experience. Their valuable insights informed the development of every aspect of the brand. Survey respondents and workshop participants helped identify the region's strongest assets and what makes up its visitor appeal. Their perceptions also helped identify the words that best describe the area's unique personality.

The result of stakeholder consultations and visitor surveys reinforced that Kawartha Lakes has many incredible things to offer to a tourist. The strongest assets identified were our outdoor activities and trails; our historic small towns to explore; our connections by water and the Trent-Severn Waterway; our agriculture, farms, and agri-experiences, our proximity to urban centres, and the overall approachable and friendliness to visitors. Residents and recent visitors to Kawartha Lakes all agreed on several personality traits which included: peaceful, relaxing, calm; extremely friendly and easy-going; community pride; creative and resourceful; active and committed. These insights along with many others have culminated into the development of the new tourism brand set to launch in September 2025.

Two-year marketing plan

In addition to the new tourism brand, in collaboration with TNB a new comprehensive two-year marketing plan has been designed to position Kawartha Lakes as a must-visit destination, with a strong focus on community engagement, sustainable growth, and a unified vision for tourism in the region.

The 2-year tourism marketing plan provides a focused, actionable roadmap to grow visitation, boost regional awareness, and support tourism operators by building a stronger, more coordinated marketing presence. Backed by local insights, visitor data, and industry input, the plan reflects what's working today, and what's needed for tomorrow.