Becoming a Member
Click here for a list of membership requirements and fee schedule
As a member of the leading association representing attractions in Ontario, you will benefit from being a part of two exceptionally effective co-operative marketing programs: the Passport Magazine and Coupon Book and the Attractions Ontario Web site. These initiatives are designed to encourage residents and tourists to visit Ontario attractions and they offer a significant opportunity to partner both with member venues and with corporate sponsors committed to the growth of tourism across the province. Your membership entitles you to free listings in each of these dynamic, high exposure mediums, as well as the ability to augment your listings with special advertising offers available only to our members.
Passport Magazine and Coupon Book
As a member, you will receive a free listing in Passport Magazine and Coupon Book.
This Attractions Ontario annual publication is THE guide to attractions in Ontario and is produced in partnership with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC). Our guide has the extensive exposure with mass distribution to hundreds of travel information centres, and hotel brochure stands as well as all official Ontario Government Tourist Information Centres and through newspaper inserts. Demand always outstrips supply!
The Passport Magazine:
Is a full-colour consumer friendly magazine featuring regional listings of all our member attractions, with alluring images of Ontario and supplementary regional event listings.
- Has a proven success record over the since 1987 as the most popular resource for people planning vacations in Ontario
- Provides the consumer with the added value of $1,500 in coupon savings
- Has mass distribution to: all areas of Ontario
- Is available for distribution to the public through 1-800-ONTARIO (the provincial government’s information line)
- Will provide your attraction with increased exposure and public awareness and ultimately, improved attendance
- Is THE publication your attraction should be listed in! The Passport Magazine & Coupon Book has a distribution of 725,000 in 2018, and is produced in partnership with the OTMPC.
Attractions Ontario Web Site
As a member, you will receive a free listing on the Attractions Ontario Web site, which will increase the exposure of your venue tremendously. There were over 2 million pages views in 2018.
- Free online listings members – web users can search for your attraction by region and category. Special section for DMO and Affiliate members
- Free links to your website, logos, photographs, and low cost advertising
- Free program and event listings on our Special Event Calendar and Attractions News
- Reach millions of consumers looking for things to see and do in Ontario
- Exclusive opportunities to participate in our online contests and promotions
Membership Services
In addition to the Passport and Web programs, we provide a number of other member services.
- Reciprocal Admissions Program
Our province-wide reciprocal admissions program allows you and your staff to visit other member attractions at complimentary or reduced rates. Although optional, this program enjoyed the participation of 1/3 of our total membership in 2012. It is a perfect way to show your appreciation to your employees while also educating them on the many exciting attractions in Ontario.
Advocacy
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is the umbrella organization for the leading associations, destination marketing organizations, and regional tourism organizations serving Ontario’s diverse tourism industry. TIAO collectively represents the thousands of businesses and employees that are dedicated to promoting and operating Ontario’s tourism industry. The Executive Director of Attractions Ontario is currently the volunteer Board Chair of TIAO.
Membership Directory
Each year, we publish and distribute a list of all our members, including their contact names and coordinates. This is the perfect way to develop industry contacts and relationships.
Annual Conference
Our Annual Conference provides a forum for voicing issues and is also an excellent means of professional development, where members are invited to both lead and attend special educational sessions. It is the perfect opportunity to engage with others in your trade, to create relationships, and to encourage innovation within our industry.
Newsletter
As a member, you will receive a newsletter each month that keeps you informed about matters affecting the attractions sector of the tourism industry. We also provide helpful information on marketing programs, training and education, research, advocacy issues, member benefits and new members.
Membership Requirements
ATTRACTION MEMBER
Our Attraction Member category is reserved for the attractions sector and is open to businesses which fit the below definition of an “Attraction”.
What Is An “Attraction”?
An attraction is defined as a natural site, a man made facility, an establishment or an area that generates visitation by providing an opportunity for individuals to participate in one or more of the following activities/experiences:
- Aboriginal and Cultural
- Aerial Sports
- Amusement/Theme Parks
- Animal Park/Aquarium/Zoo
- Art Gallery/Museum
- Casinos & Gaming
- Heritage and Educational
- Eco & Nature Centres/Parks/Gardens/Trails
- Entertainment Complexes/Sites
- Events & Festivals
- Golf
- Historic Sites
- Performing Arts & Entertainment
- Shopping
- Spas
- Sports/Outdoor Activity
- Touring/Cruising
- Water Adventure
- Winery
Membership Fees
Full Membership
Membership dues are based on the annual admissions or attendance at each attraction.
| Annual Admission/Attendance | Annual Membership Dues |
| Under 15,000 | $140 |
| 15,001 – 50,000 | $235 |
| 50,001 – 99,999 | $375 |
| 100,000 – 199,999 | $475 |
| 200,000 – 399,999 | $625 |
| 400,000 – 1,000,000 | $825 |
| Over 1,000,000 | $1,000 |
Membership fees are payable on January 1st of each year. The first year of membership will be pro-rated from the first of the month in which you join. Annual renewals are automatic unless written notice of cancellation is received by December 1st of each year. Please note, for those attractions that have more than one site, membership dues include the listing of only one site in
Passport Magazine and on our Web site. An additional fee of $100 per site applies should you wish to list extra venues.
For Other Tourism Related Businesses…
Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO) & Visitor and Convention Bureaus (VCB) Membership
DMO Members, by our definition, are representatives of an organization that markets and promotes tourism within a specific geographic area such as a town, city or region as a representative of a cluster or group of tourism businesses. Examples of DMOs include municipalities, chambers of commerce, convention & visitor bureaus, regional tourism associations and tourism offices.
DMO Membership dues cost $400 per year. DMO Membership includes a free text listing in the Passport Magazine, exclusive advertising opportunities, free basic web listing and link to your web site, copy of our monthly Connections Newsletter, inclusion in our Membership Directory, invitation to the AGM, access to our research and advocacy, promotion of regional events, referral service through our toll-free consumer hotline, and free distribution of your marketing materials, and co-operative advertising opportunities. Call 416-868-4386/877-557-3386 or email phil@attractionsontario.ca to find out if your organization qualifies.
Affiliate Membership
Affiliate membership is available to organizations and groups with the object of providing a product or service to the Ontario tourism industry including but not limited to suppliers, hotels, tour operators and educational institutions. This can include governmental, semi-governmental or private corporations.
A $400 annual fee applies to those organizations wishing to become an affiliate member of Attractions Ontario (available only to non-attractions). Affiliate members have the unique opportunity to participate in various programs and are able to take advantage of some of our membership services. Exclusive sponsorship opportunities for affiliate members are available throughout the year. Please contact Attractions Ontario at phil@attractionsontario.ca for more details about the next upcoming opportunity.
DON’T MISS OUT! BECOME A MEMBER! GET INVOLVED!
What Our Members Say
“As a membership based organization, working with Attractions Ontario provides us with a great platform to highlight our members through contesting and promotional opportunities throughout the year. Attractions Ontario gives us the ability to add value for our members, and is specifically great at helping us highlight our family focused attractions.”
Sofie Sharom, Marketing Coordinator
Ottawa Tourism
“Attractions Ontario is a great resource for connecting attractions with consumers – and vice versa – with a variety of opportunities that are flexible for any budget. Their team is dedicated, easy to work with and always quick to respond. Our goal is to reach out to new audiences and Attractions Ontario has been a great avenue to accomplish this.”
Ashley Angeloni, Trades Sales Manager
Legoland Discovery Centre Toronto
“Both full-time and part-time staff at Scenic Caves Nature Adventures unanimously agree that the Attractions Ontario reciprocal program is a terrific employment perk. Each year we excitedly thumb through the offerings, deciding what to explore next. The program is well utilized. A lot of our staff are students and the Program makes exploring the Province within their reach.
It makes our staff feel proud to be aligned with a larger complement of Attractions. We always receive a warm welcome and acknowledgement of respect from participating organizations when we show our proof of employment.
Visiting other tourism operators is also a great learning experience. One always sees ways to improve one’s own operation. Sharing best practices is one of the many reasons we value our membership with Attractions Ontario.”
Linda Service, Vice President Marketing and Business Development
Scenic Caves Nature Adventures
“Attractions Ontario offers great advertising and marketing opportunities, for all attractions. Even with a relatively small budget, AO has been able to help us promote our brand and services, whether it be through their Attractions Passport magazine (coupons) or website banner ads. AO has a number of cost effective opportunities for various market segments, including the consumer and education market. We’ve been a member for a number of years and are very happy with their programs and results. They are also a pleasure to work with and always keep us in the loop. We will continue using their services as we grow and develop our business.”
Jason Rizzuti, Managing Partner
Go Tours Canada