2024 SEe ON Summit Recap - RTO 9

2024 SEe ON Summit Recap

Day One: Thursday, September 12th, 2024 – Tourism Summit

Download the Day One Tourism Summit Agenda or the Speaker Bios. You can find a summary of the two-day summit here.

9:00 AM Welcome and opening introduction – Cale Fair

9:05 AM – 9:25 AM Giving of Thanks – David R. Maracle – Bear Clan, Tehanenia’kwè:tarons (Cutter of the Stone)

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM Keynote Speaker – Cristian Urroz, Co-Owner of Urroz – The integration of AI and its uses in the workplace – Presentation

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM Presentation – Cathy Kirkpatrick, Alphabet Creative – Itinerary development using AI and opportunities for businesses to gain more exposure – Presentation

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM Break with the Makers Market

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Presentation – Oliver Martin, Skift Advisory – Optimizing South Eastern Ontario’s tourism opportunity utilizing research – Presentation

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM Lunch – Provided by the DoubleTree by Hilton Kingston.

1:15 PM – 2:00 PM Panel Discussion – Experiential Tourism – Moderated by Cale Fair.

  • Cynthia Peters – Maison Maitland
  • Kelly Bergeron – Poptronic
  • Karina Belanger – SDG Jail

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM Panel Discussion – Granting Opportunities – Moderated by Katherine Hobbs.

  • Louis Bedard – Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming
  • Liam Karry – Kick & Push Festival, Kingston Theatre Alliance
  • Teresa Bressan-Lambert – Vankleek Hill Vineyard

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM Break with the Makers Market and Regional Trivia

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM Presentation – Chantal Sweeting, Destination Ontario – Website development and SEO to enhance the user experience – Presentation

3:45 PM – 3:55 PM Wrap up & Closing Remarks – Cheri Kemp-Long

Day Two: Friday, September 13th, 2024 – Tourism Summit

Download the Day Two Sustainable Tourism Summit Agenda or the Speaker Bios.

9:00 AM Welcome and introduction – Cheri Kemp-Long

9:05 AM – 9:25 AM Giving of Thanks – David R. Maracle – Bear Clan, Tehanenia’kwè:tarons (Cutter of the Stone)

9:25 AM – 10:15 AM Keynote Speaker – Angela Nagy, President and CEO of GreenStep Solutions – Sustainable tourism and resources available through GreenStep to assist in operational change for businesses – Presentation

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM Panel Discussion – Sourcing Local – Moderated by Eleanor Cook

  • Will Arnaud – Otter Creek Kitchen
  • Tammara Maher – Collective Joy Farm
  • Andrew Davies – No. 9 Gardens

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM Break with the Makers Market

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Presentation – Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Andrew Siegwart, President, and Carol Greenwood, Vice-President – Tourism advocacy and the work of TIAO for the tourism industry in Ontario – Presentation

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM Lunch, provided by the DoubleTree by Hilton Kingston.

1:15 PM – 2:00 PM Panel Discussion – Retrofitting your Business – Moderated by Geoff Hendry

  • Bellen Tong – Miss Bao Restaurant + Cocktails
  • Norah Rogers – The Waring House
  • Aaron Markel – Hammond Hill & the AIM Group of Companies

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM Presentation – Rick Layzell, Boating Ontario – The Clean Marine Program and how it actively works to protect our waterways from the potential environmental impacts of recreational boating – Presentation

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM Break with the Makers Market & Trivia

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM Presentation – Andrea Fernandes and Francoise Granda, VIA Rail Canada – Sustainability goals of VIA and how they’re working to achieve them for a more sustainable transportation alternative – Presentation

3:45 PM – 3:55 PM Wrap up & Closing Remarks – Cheri Kemp-Long