Strategy Lessons from a Summer of Smart Canadian Marketing

From building new experiences to leading with empathy, Canadian tourism marketers didn’t just promote travel this summer, they repositioned what it means to connect.

August 06, 2025

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Hey friend,

This summer, something unusual is happening in Canadian marketing, DMOs are winning, not by pushing harder, but by repositioning smarter.

Amid political friction and travel hesitancy, domestic tourism is booming. And the marketers behind that shift aren’t just promoting destinations, they’re reshaping them. From Surrey’s build-it-yourself experiences to Quebec’s viral invitation to “Come Hug It Out,” we’re seeing a real-time strategy pivot that deserves your attention.

It’s not just a tourism story. It’s a case study in timing, tone, and knowing what your audience needs before they do.

Coming Up

How Canadian Marketers Are Reclaiming Travel, Attention, and Identity

While international headlines swirl about travel boycotts and political tension, a quieter shift is happening on home soil: Canadian marketers, especially DMOs, are winning big by focusing inward.

Faced with a sharp drop in outbound U.S. travel and growing discontent over tariffs and border delays, Canadian travelers are opting to “vacation Canadian” this summer. And domestic tourism leaders were ready.

From Nova Scotia to British Columbia, marketing teams are tapping into national pride, community stories, and real-time performance tactics to meet this moment.

Surrey, BC: From Awareness to Action

In Surrey, Discover Surrey took a bold step: instead of just promoting the region, they invested in building tourism experiences from the ground up. Over the past two years, the DMO has worked hands-on with local entrepreneurs to develop “Surrey's Signature Experiences”, a collection of bookable, visitor-ready group experiences designed around food, culture, and connection.

The initiative reflects a growing trend: DMOs as experience co-creators, not just promotional engines. The result? More overnight stays, stronger partnerships, and a deeper, more accurate story of Surrey.

Credit: Tourism Eastern Townships

Eastern Townships, QC: Kindness as Soft Power

Meanwhile, in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, Tourisme Cantons-de-l’Est tapped into emotional storytelling with its “Come Hug It Out” campaign, a video-led initiative showing an American traveler receiving an unexpected hug at a Quebec hotel. The campaign struck a nerve across North America, going viral and drawing emotional reactions from American audiences, media, and celebrities like Sharon Stone.

Rather than focusing on scenery or deals, the campaign doubled down on empathy and hospitality, positioning the region as a warm, welcoming alternative amid rising political tensions.

The Lessons for Marketers

This summer’s DMO success isn’t just a tourism story, it’s a case study in smart, responsive marketing. Here’s what’s working:

  • Emotional relevance beats generic reach. The campaigns that resonated most weren’t louder or flashier. They reflected how people were already feeling and then gave them something to respond to.

  • Marketers are becoming builders. Surrey’s model shows that marketing departments can shape the product itself, not just its message.

  • Performance marketing works when it’s timely. Retargeting, SEO, mobile-first bundles, and geo-targeting helped DMOs move from awareness to real bookings.

  • Values are a differentiator. Campaigns that embraced cultural fluency, sustainability, and inclusivity resonated far more than traditional destination hype.

This isn’t just about domestic tourism. It’s a signal: when marketing aligns with audience sentiment, local pride, and action-ready infrastructure—brands win.

Community Spotlight: Rebranding with Intention in Prince Edward County

Tourism marketing isn’t just about attracting visitors, it’s about shaping the kind of place you want to invite them into. That’s the thinking behind the bold, stakeholder-first rebrand of Ontario’s Visit The County, Prince Edward County’s destination marketing organization.

Led by Christal Agostino, a Board Director at Visit The County and founder of BOA, the rebrand marked a turning point. With a background in luxury content and brand leadership (Fairmont Hotels, Air Canada enRoute, Loews Hotels), Christal brought a strategic lens rooted in long-term value, not just visitor volume.

“Prince Edward County’s story was bigger than any single attraction,” she says. “We needed to move from promoting disconnected highlights to telling a cohesive story of place—one rooted in creative community, natural beauty, and rural authenticity.”

The process began with deep community engagement: interviews, surveys, and field research that mapped the full ecosystem of stakeholders. from seasonal workers and cultural leaders to farmers, restaurateurs, and year-round residents. The goal wasn’t just to market to people, but with them.

Location: Fonterra Farm | Photo Credit: Daph and Nico

The result is a destination brand designed for both flexibility and empathy. The County now encourages shoulder-season travel, disperses high-season visitation, and prioritizes quality over quantity, attracting what Christal calls “high-value visitors”: those who return often, support local, and align with the region’s rural rhythm.

“We deliberately moved beyond the ‘Sandbanks and Wineries’ narrative to something deeper. A successful season isn’t just about numbers. It’s about visitors leaving restored, businesses thriving, and locals feeling proud of where they live.”

Key to that strategy are brand pillars that double as guiding principles: A Warm Welcome, Rooted in Rural, and Restorative + Rejuvenating. They show up in everything from messaging to media pacing, ensuring marketing doesn’t just sell, but stewards.

Her advice for others navigating destination rebrands?

  • Start with stakeholders, not style guides

  • Design for complexity, not just peak season

  • Embrace the tension between visitor desires and local needs—it’s where the real creative opportunity lies

“We’re not just repositioning The County,” Christal says. “We’re reimagining how tourism can complement, not compete with, community.”

SocialNext: The Rundown

No fluff, no filler, just smart sessions with people who’ve done the work. Every Wednesday, join fellow marketers and founders for 30-minute, high-impact webinars built for fast application. Whether you’re scaling, rethinking, or troubleshooting, you’ll leave with insights you can act on right now.

Here’s what’s coming up:.

August 6 - Branding & Storytelling 
Will Yang, Founder & CEO, Differo
With clients like Tourism Nova Scotia and Discover Halifax, Will knows how to build short-form stories that actually resonate. This session will break down the storytelling formulas that move people—and move metrics.

August 13 – Bad Data Is Worse Than No Data: Common Tracking Mistakes That Quietly Kill Sales
Ally Anderson, Data-Backed Marketing Consultant
Are you tracking the wrong things—or trusting the wrong tools? Ally walks through common data traps that stall growth and shows you how to rebuild a tracking system that leads to real revenue, not false signals.

August 20 - The Undying Importance of Understanding the Customer Journey
Talitha McCloskey, Program Lead, Growclass
What used to be linear is now layered. Talitha shares how today’s customer journey actually works, and how to build marketing strategies that are both human and high-performing.

  • Free for all SNMA members

  • Hosted live in the SNMA Circle space at 10 AM MST/12 PM EST

  • Bring your coffee. Leave with fresh ideas.

SocialNext Events Roundup

There’s limited time left to save $130 on tickets to SocialEast. Advance pricing ends at midnight Friday. Join Atlantic Canada’s top marketers in Halifax September 25–26 for sharp sessions, real strategies, and a community that shows up ready to learn.

Whether you’re in-house, agency-side, or flying solo, SocialPacific delivers insights you can use right away. Connect with 400+ marketers in Vancouver on October 30 for a high-impact day with performance marketers, creators, and brand leaders shaping what’s next.

Canadian Marketing & Business Weekly Brief

Canada’s Tourism Sector to Hit Record High in 2025, But With Warning Signs — New WTTC data forecasts a $182B boom next year, but rising costs and labour shortages could stall long-term growth.

The Growing Squeeze on Canadian Small Business — A data-driven look at how policy and cost pressures are reshaping entrepreneurship in Canada.

Canadian Beef Ban Lifted in Australia — After years of trade friction, Australian regulators have removed restrictions on Canadian beef, reopening a major export channel.

North America’s “Third Pillar” Needs Canadian Buy-In — A new Business Council report calls for deeper collaboration between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico to unlock shared innovation and infrastructure growth.

Marketing News Canada’s latest industry roundup tracks Cossette’s AI-powered platform, Barrett and Welsh’s global expansion, and a CMO appointment at healthtech startup NiaHealth.

Niagara 5000 is turning supercars, luxury sponsors, and high-gloss content into Canada’s boldest new storytelling platform. It’s a case study in premium experience design meeting media strategy.

Local Marketing Plus is rolling out new SEO and reputation tools for Canadian SMBs and service-based brands, signalling fresh momentum in local digital marketing.

Kickstart your holiday campaigns

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Coast-to-Coast Careers

Growth Marketing Manager, WaitWell

WaitWell is hiring a Growth Marketing Manager to lead healthcare sector growth across North America. This full-time hybrid role blends ABM, content strategy, field marketing, and lead generation to drive revenue and influence product direction. You’ll work across Sales, Product, and Customer Success to expand WaitWell’s presence in urgent care, diagnostics, imaging, and telehealth.

Location: Hybrid (Calgary, AB)
Salary: CA$75,000–85,000 annually
Sector: SaaS, Healthcare, B2B Marketing
Contact: Shannon at WaitWell
Email: [email protected]

Other opportunities this week:

Want to see your job featured here next week?
Upload your role to the SocialNext Job Board and get it in front of thousands of Canadian marketers.

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Marketing News Canada

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