group of 6 women standing in a grassy field talking

Tourism Oxford offers a variety of partnership opportunities for local tourism businesses and organizations looking to increase their reach and engage audiences. Businesses that meet program criteria, developed through research and consultation with the tourism industry, can participate in a variety of marketing activities, highlighted in this document. View tourism business categories and program criteria in the Tourism Partnership Application Form below. The goal of criteria programs is to support more businesses in meeting the needs of tourists while ensuring a quality visitor experience.

Why Partner with Us?

  • Reduced Costs – through cooperative and shared advertising campaigns, access to regional and provincial funding and leveraging Tourism Oxford’s overarching marketing investments
  • Increased Reach – we provide access to markets you might otherwise not be able to afford, and your partnership helps extend the reach of our campaigns as well!
  • Engaged Audiences – access to our engaged audience of over 20,000 consumers via our social media and email subscriber databases
  • Respected Brand – alignment with Tourism Oxford’s brand provides a competitive advantage and marketing exposure through our consumer website

Forms:

Awards and Grants:

Partnership Opportunities:

Tourism Oxford Website (Free & Enhanced Listings)
  • Basic Listing
    • Cost: Free

    • Tourism businesses that fall within defined categories and meet the program criteria can apply for a
      free listing on TourismOxford.ca.

  • Enhanced Listing (Profile)
    • Cost: $250 for Year 1 ($150 per year for subsequent annual renewals)

    • An Enhanced Profile on tourismoxford.ca is a blog-style listing that provides you with even greater
      exposure and marketing value. Participating in this program increases your online presence, provides you with content you can leverage in your own marketing channels, and provides Tourism Oxford with enriched content that can be featured in social media and other marketing activities

    • A Tourism Oxford writer will work with you to develop the listing and you will have the opportunity to review and revise the profile before it is published to the website. Up to three photographs/videos that you provide can be embedded into the profile. 

    • Note: Applications for Enhanced Profiles are accepted year-round, but the service may be paused occasionally due to writer availability.
Experiential Tourism

Experiential travel connects the traveler with the essence of a place and its people. It engages visitors in a series of memorable travel adventures, revealed over time, that are inherently personal, engage the senses, and make connections on an emotional, physical, spiritual or intellectual level.

Tourism Oxford offers specialized supports to coach local businesses in developing experiential tourism products. All individuals interested in crafting a tourism experience are invited to meet with Tourism Oxford’s Experience Trainers for coaching. Businesses are also encouraged to attend Unlocked and Inspired training available through the Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation.

  • Video Partnership
    • Cost: Varies per project
    • Tourism Oxford appreciates the investments made by businesses to develop new tourism experiences and recognizes the importance of using high quality content to promote them. Through the Video Partnership program, Tourism Oxford will facilitate the development of a one-minute story-telling video that profiles the tourism experience. The final video and photography assets from the project are available for use by the businesses and Tourism Oxford. The video is also featured in a dedicated blog article in the Oxford Experiences section on tourismoxford.ca and will receive promotion through a variety of marketing channels.
  • Digital Advertising Partnership
    • Cost: $250 per campaign
    • Tourism Oxford facilitates a provincial partnership application to Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation (SWOTC)/Ontario Southwest to receive matching funds from the Ministry of Tourism & Culture (MTCS) for Oxford County tourism marketing initiatives. Experiential Tourism partners are encouraged to leverage this program by contributing $250 to promote their individual tourism experience. Your funds are matched through partnership funds from the MTCS and facilitated through SWOTC and Tourism Oxford. Tourism Oxford will work with you to identify seasonal priorities for your digital advertising program and, will provide you with a final report on the results of your campaign
Oxford County Cheese Trail Partnership

The Oxford County Cheese Trail is a curated list of over 30 attractions celebrating Oxford County’s dairy heritage. Visitors explore stops including museums, restaurants, artisans and of course, cheesemakers. The Cheese Trail has a dedicated section on our consumer website, Oxford County Cheese Trail and is a primary feature in Tourism Oxford’s annual marketing activities including print collateral, digital advertising and more.

 

  • Cost: $300 per year | Big Cheese Days additional $100

Partnership opportunities are limited and subject to specific criteria and capacity. For more information about Oxford County Cheese Trail partnership, please email tourism@oxfordcounty.ca. 
Oxford Fresh Partnerships

Oxford Fresh is a partnership of Tourism Oxford and the Oxford County Federation of Agriculture that helps locals and visitors shop the farms and producers of Oxford County. Oxford Fresh marketing initiatives include a dedicated section on the Tourism Oxford website (OxfordFresh.ca), a farm gate signage program, digital advertising and a bi-annual printed map promoting local farmers, markets and artisan producers.

  • Oxford Fresh Map
    • Cost: $200 +HST bi-annually
    • The next issue of the map will be printed in 2024. See the current map on the Oxford Fresh website.
  • Oxford Fresh Laneway Signage
    • Cost: $175 +HST per sign
    • The Oxford Fresh Laneway Signage program is available to qualifying farm gate operations across Oxford County. Signs are typically ordered each spring in March.
  • Oxford Fresh Free Web Listing
    • Cost: FREE
    • Missed the map deadline? You can still get a free online listing if you meet our criteria.


Apply to one or more Oxford Fresh Programs Here. 
Rural Routes 
  • Cost: $300 per campaign

  • A program that promotes businesses that work together to create a 1-day event that encourages people to embrace our rural routes. Businesses in close proximity to each other that host and market open houses on the same day as one event. Each site should be offering a special feature/activity/ tasting to give people a reason to visit. This program provides up to $300 in matching funds towards a digital campaign run by Tourism Oxford promoting the collaboration.

  • Apply Here
Your Next Stop 
  • Cost: $300 per itinerary
  • Tourism Oxford is looking to promote annual or seasonal itineraries that encourage people to follow an itinerary throughout Oxford County at their leisure, exploring all we have to offer. 
Photography and Video
  • Cost: varies
  • Visual assets are an important part of your tourism marketing toolkit! Tourism Oxford will partner with qualifying business to share costs on production of photo and video assets. You benefit from shared costs, high-quality images and exposure through Tourism Oxford’s marketing channels!
  • Destination Ontario Consent Form 
  • Please contact us at tourism@oxfordcounty.ca.
Travel Writer
  • Cost: varies

  • Each year, Oxford County hosts travel writers visiting to explore and write about our region. If there is a travel writer you would like to work with or, if you would like to support a visit by assisting with the cost of hosting a writer at your location (e.g., accommodation, meals, and experiences) please contact us at tourism@oxfordcounty.ca.

  • Note that we are typically organizing visits 6-12 months in advance and last-minute visits to the region are rarely facilitated.

We are here to help:

Tourism Oxford recognizes that not all businesses may meet the website listing criteria.  Other businesses may have aspirations to grow their tourism attraction.  Help is available regardless of what stage you are at.  Visit our Resources page for past workshops, newsletters, help sheets and business supports. You can also contact us with your questions or to schedule an appointment.

Industry Newsletter:

  • Keep informed about new opportunities, training, and requests for feedback. Subscribe

Visitor Signage Program Update:

Tourism Oxford has been working away to install visitor information signage at locations visitors frequent across Oxford County. These include community signs, in key locations, as well as smaller signs at area attractions. Signage has been installed at:

  • Downtown Woodstock (as pictured to the right)
  • Canada's Outdoor Farm Show (showing where to eat, things to do, and where to stay in the area)
  • The Holiday Inn Express (digital signs)
  • City of Woodstock Special Events Portable Sign
  • New Cheese Trail Partners (Golspie Dairy, Dad's Ice Cream, The Mill, Two Girls and a Cheese Shop, Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre, Betty's Marketplace, Whisk & Roll Bakery)
  • Signage at the Oxford County Courthouse (depicting history of the buildings)

 2024 projects include downtown Ingersoll, Embro, Tillsonburg and at key attractions.