The 1000 Islands

What The 1000 Islands does

The 1000 Islands is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit destination marketing organization (DMO) operating as the Thousand Islands Regional Tourism Development Corporation (DBA: 1000 Islands International Tourism Council). Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Alexandria Bay, New York, with a regional office in Lansdowne, Ontario, the entity promotes travel to the binational 1000 Islands region along the St. Lawrence River and eastern Lake Ontario. It serves leisure travelers, families, wedding and romance travelers, meeting and conference planners, and group tour operators across northern New York State and southeastern Ontario. Its core product is a curated content and distribution platform built on WordPress (visit1000islands.com), organizing 14 experience categories — including Castles & Cruises, Craft & Culinary, Golf, Diving, Fishing, Cycling & Paddling, Boating, Outdoors, Winter Activities, and Family Fun — plus service verticals for Accommodations, Weddings, Meetings & Conferences, and Group Tours. The website also hosts travel-planning utilities such as an interactive map, event calendar, "Request A Guide" functionality, and the Recite Me accessibility and language support plugin. The organization does not sell travel services directly; instead it funnels demand to a network of local operators, accommodations, and attractions (e.g., Boldt Castle, Singer Castle, Antique Boat Museum, Thousand Islands National Park, Aquatarium). Distribution is achieved through its own website, social channels (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram), email newsletter, and formal co-marketing partnerships with I LOVE NY (New York State Department of Economic Development) and Ontario Travel. Revenue is generated indirectly through tourism promotion, membership programs, business-directory listings, and government/agency funding for regional development rather than direct commercial sales.

Name

The 1000 Islands

Legal name

Thousand Islands Regional Tourism Development Corporation

Website

https://visit1000islands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The 1000 Islands is a binational 501(c)(3) destination marketing organization (DBA 1000 Islands International Tourism Council) that promotes leisure, family, wedding, and group tourism across the U.S.-Canada 1000 Islands region via its website, content, and partnerships with I LOVE NY and Ontario Travel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Tourism Promotion

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure & Outdoor Local Operators (Trekking/Safari/Diving) (THAKAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Group & Series Tour Operators (Seat-in-Coach/Fixed Departures) (THAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Regional tourism promotion
• Destination marketing organization
• Binational travel information
• Vacation planning resources
• Leisure travel marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tourism Promotion Services: The Thousand Islands Regional Tourism Development Corporation (doing business as 1000 Islands International Tourism Council) is a United States 501c3 nonprofit organization. Revenue is generated through tourism promotion, partnerships with local businesses, membership programs, and potentially government/agency funding for regional development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The 1000 Islands International Tourism Council operates a binational destination marketing platform that promotes tourism to the 1000 Islands region spanning northern New York State and southeastern Ontario along the St. Lawrence River. The organization provides comprehensive travel planning resources through its website covering 14 experience categories, 12 community guides, events, accommodations, and a Request A Guide fulfillment service. It serves as the official cross-border tourism authority connecting visitors with local businesses for attractions, lodging, weddings, group tours, and meetings.

Product overview

The 1000 Islands is a unified destination tourism platform managed by the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, promoting the 1000 Islands region spanning the U.S.-Canada border along the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. The platform organizes tourism experiences across 14 categories: Castles & Cruises (boat tours visiting Boldt Castle and Singer Castle), Craft & Culinary (craft beverages and traditional Shore Dinner), History & Culture (War of 1812 sites and maritime museums), Golf (30+ public courses), Outdoors (state parks and nature preserves), Winter Activities (skiing and snowmobiling), Fishing (charter services), Diving (shipwreck exploration), Cycling & Paddling (kayaking and whitewater), Boating, Family Fun (zoos and mini-golf), plus Accommodations, Weddings, Meetings, and Group Tours. Key featured attractions include Boldt Castle, Singer Castle, the Antique Boat Museum, Thousand Islands National Park, and the Aquatarium. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the Thousand Islands Regional Tourism Development Corporation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weddings & Events Destination wedding and event promotion service featuring romantic waterfront venues for weddings, vow renewals, honeymoons, and milestone anniversaries across the 1000 Islands region.
• Group Tours Organized group tour packages and services for motorcoach travel and group visitors to the 1000 Islands region.
• Meetings & Conferences Meeting venue promotion service featuring waterfront resorts in Clayton, Sackets Harbor, and Alexandria Bay and national brand hotels in Watertown for corporate meetings, conferences, conventions, and team building events.
• Request A Guide Physical visitor guide fulfillment service delivering planning materials by mail to prospective visitors.
• Accessible Travel Program Accessibility-focused travel promotion and planning service for visitors with disabilities, supported by Recite Me accessibility and language support plugin and partnership with Wheel the World.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• I LOVE NYcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerI LOVE NY is a registered trademark and service mark of the New York State Department of Economic Development. The 1000 Islands International Tourism Council uses this trademark with permission as part of their tourism promotion efforts, linking regional marketing to state-level tourism initiatives.
• Ontario TravelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOntario Travel is the official tourism brand of the Province of Ontario. The 1000 Islands International Tourism Council partners with Ontario Travel to promote the Canadian side of the 1000 Islands region and coordinate cross-border tourism efforts.
• Thousand Islands International BridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Thousand Islands International Bridge is a key infrastructure partner, providing physical connectivity between the U.S. and Canadian sides of the 1000 Islands region. Opened in 1938 by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the bridge links I-81 in New York and Highway 401 in Ontario, serving as a symbol of U.S.-Canada goodwill and enabling cross-border tourism.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: National-level destination marketing organization for the United States. Functions as an upstream marketing incumbent with which small regional DMOs like 1000 Islands coordinate to amplify international visitor acquisition.
• Destination Canada: National tourism marketing body for Canada. Upstream incumbent coordinating marketing for Canadian-side regional DMOs including the 1000 Islands.
• Ontario Travel: Official Ontario provincial tourism brand. Direct upstream partner and broader provincial marketing incumbent covering the Canadian side of the 1000 Islands.
• I LOVE NY: Official New York State tourism brand operated by the NY Department of Economic Development. Functions as a direct upstream partner and broader statewide marketing incumbent that encompasses the 1000 Islands region within its scope.
• Travel Oregon: State-level DMO with a comparable outdoor, culinary, and craft-beverage-led positioning. Larger scope but analogous mission of promoting a U.S. state's experiential travel brand through content and partnerships.

Direct peers

• Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance: Regional New York State DMO promoting outdoor recreation, wineries, culinary, and outdoor experiences across a defined upstate region. Closely comparable scope, mission, and nonprofit regional tourism marketing model.
• VisitLEX: Regional destination marketing organization for Lexington, KY. Comparable scale, nonprofit-style CVB structure, multi-channel content marketing, and breadth of curated experience categories (culinary, bourbon, horses, outdoors).
• Discover New England: Regional multi-state tourism marketing organization. Comparable multi-jurisdiction DMO structure coordinating promotion across multiple states for leisure travel.
• Visit Alexandria Bay: Local community-level DMO for Alexandria Bay, listed by the council as a tourism partner. Smaller-scope peer operating at the town level within the same region.
• Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau: Nearby NY regional DMO promoting outdoor recreation, heritage, and water-based experiences along the Lake Ontario/Lake Champlain corridor. Comparable binational-adjacent positioning and small-team nonprofit structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Visit1000Isles
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdnF2SjweoJwa9E2IbeU9zA?sub_confirmation=1
• Facebookfacebook.com/Visit1000Islands
• Instagraminstagram.com/visit1000islands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The 1000 Islands