THE OPPORTUNITY:
Tourism Excellence North (TEN) identified an opportunity to strengthen Northern Ontario’s accommodation sector by introducing operators to proven best practices and real-world insights from successful destinations. BC Hughes was engaged to design and lead an Accommodation Best Practices Mission (BPM), providing participants with hands-on learning and peer-to-peer exchange to support business improvement and long-term sustainability.
THE PROCESS:
BC Hughes developed and led a curated Best Practices Mission, focused on enhancing fixed-roof accommodations. The multi-day experience brought participants together for site visits, behind-the-scenes tours, and direct conversations with accommodation owners and operators.
The mission included stops at six newly updated, unique and memorable properties across the Bruce-Grey-Simcoe region, where participants explored key areas such as guest experience, branding and marketing, operational efficiencies, staffing, and strategies for year-round sustainability. Guided discussions and peer exchange encouraged participants to reflect on their own operations, identify gaps, and develop practical ideas for improvement.
THE OUTCOME:
The mission welcomed Northern Ontario accommodators and industry representatives, and was highly successful in delivering actionable insights and inspiration. Participants gained a deeper understanding of best practices in accommodation operations and left with tangible ideas to enhance their own businesses.
The experience fostered strong peer connections and open knowledge-sharing, with ongoing discussions around common challenges such as staffing, seasonality, guest expectations, and capital investment. Overall, the mission equipped participants with practical strategies to elevate their offerings, improve guest experiences, and strengthen the competitiveness of Northern Ontario’s accommodation sector.
