In conversation with… Chuck Hudson, Community Development Officer, Town of Smiths Falls
Q. One of Ontario East’s emerging tourism attractions is the Rideau Heritage Route. What is it?
A. The Rideau Heritage Route is a memorable journey, by land or water, along the historic Rideau Canal and the lands around it, from the cities of Ottawa and Kingston, through the charming and historic towns, villages and rural areas in between. It can provide visitors with a wide range of vacation opportunities, from the quiet and scenic outdoors, to the activities and amenities of the many large and small communities.
Q. Why is it generating excitement?
A. While the Rideau Heritage Route region has long been a popular vacation area for visitors from all over, it’s creating even more excitement now, particularly internationally. The Rideau Canal, a National Historic Site of Canada and Canadian Heritage River, achieved a new level of recognition in 2007 when it, along with the Kingston fortifications, became Ontario's first and only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As a result, it’s been receiving significant interest from around the world, with familiarization and media tours from the United Kingdom, South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Austria, Canada, the United States and Australia. This is definitely a tourist destination that’s on the world stage. Most recently, the National Geographic Society's Centre for Sustainable Destinations rated the Rideau Canal second best on the 2008 'Places Rated' Destination Stewardship Survey.
Q. What kinds of investments are you looking for?
A. We're looking for a variety of investments, including accommodations, restaurants, cruising, shopping, boating, eco-adventures, family entertainment, and so on. We need large investors to develop such things as resorts and destination attractions, and smaller investors to create more community-level experiences based on the region's outdoors, its communities, history, and culinary and cultural features.
Interested investors can find out more about the Rideau Heritage Route by visiting the website: www.rideauheritageroute.ca
For more information on tourism investment opportunities throughout Ontario, please visit: www.investinontario.com/tourism/regionalinvest.asp.