Tourism Kingston

What Tourism Kingston does

Tourism Kingston is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Kingston, Ontario, operating in partnership with the City of Kingston. Its core platform is visitkingston.ca — a content-rich destination website with parallel French and Chinese sites — aggregating attractions, accommodations, dining, events, weddings, sport tourism, and film/media production information. The platform includes a real-time event calendar, downloadable multilingual visitor guides, a package booking portal combining hotel stays with attraction and dining experiences, the K-Pass bundled city attractions pass (24/48/72-hour formats), an online Square-based Kingston merchandise storefront, and a Frontline Today partner portal providing frontline hospitality workers with monthly event lists, attraction hours, road closures, live parking capacity, and discount codes. A staffed physical Visitor Information Centre at 209 Ontario Street provides in-person visitor services, guide distribution, and merchandise sales.

The DMO serves a deliberately diversified set of customer segments: leisure tourists (primary), group tour operators and travel trade, sport event organizers (sustained by the Kingston Frontenacs OHL hockey team at Slush Puppie Place and CORK sailing regattas at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour — the 1976 Summer Olympics sailing venue), wedding couples and planners, film and television production crews (via the Kingston Script to Screen program supporting productions such as Locke and Key), music industry participants (Slaight Music Video Program, Music From Miles Around exhibition), and corporate and association meeting planners. Major promoted assets include Fort Henry National Historic Site (Ontario's first UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications Network), Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises, Belleville House, PumpHouse, and Queen's University venues.

Revenue streams disclosed are limited to transaction and commission sources: merchandise sales (including Tragically Hip memorabilia), K-Pass commissions, package referral commissions from Kingston Accommodation Partners (KAP) member hotels, and VIC sales. The organization holds GreenStep Silver Certified Destination status (GreenStep Canada) and Rainbow Registered accredited destination status (CGLCC). No external funding, venture capital, M&A, public listing, or revenue/headcount figures are disclosed in the supplied data; the entity appears privately structured and operates without identified PE/VC backing, with operational support presumably tied to its municipal partnership.

Name

Tourism Kingston

Legal name

Tourism Kingston

Website

https://visitkingston.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tourism Kingston is the official destination marketing organization for Kingston, Ontario, operating the visitkingston.ca multilingual platform and physical Visitor Information Centre to attract leisure tourists, group tours, sport event organizers, weddings, film productions, and corporate meeting planners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Visitor information services
• Tourism package bookings
• Event venue coordination
• Travel trade promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Visitor Information Centre Services: Frontline visitor services including information provision, merchandise sales, and guide distribution at the VIC at 209 Ontario Street, Kingston.
2. Accommodation Partner Membership & Commission: Kingston Accommodation Partners (KAP) is a membership/partner network of local hotels and short-term rentals that pay to be featured in Tourism Kingston packages and referred by the VIC and frontline workers.
3. Tourism Packages & Package Commissions: Curated overnight packages combining accommodation with attractions and dining experiences (e.g., Frontenac Club + Kingston Food Experience Package, Holiday Inn Waterfront + Kingston Pride Package), generating referral income from partner hotels and operators.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Kingston-branded merchandise (Tragically Hip memorabilia, Kingston apparel, souvenirs) through the online merch store (visitkingston.square.site) and the Visitor Information Centre.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Tourism Kingston operates the official destination marketing organization for Kingston, Ontario, promoting the city as the "Limestone City" through the Visit Kingston website (visitkingston.ca), a physical Visitor Information Centre, packaged tourism products, and an attraction pass (K-Pass). It markets visitor experiences including attractions, dining, accommodations, events, weddings, sport tourism, film production, and business events to leisure travelers, group tour operators, corporate meeting planners, sport event organizers, wedding couples, and film/TV production crews.

Product overview

Tourism Kingston operates Visit Kingston (visitkingston.ca), a comprehensive tourism marketing platform that serves as the official destination marketing organization for Kingston, Ontario. The platform aggregates visitor information including event listings, attraction details, accommodation options, and travel planning resources. The product portfolio includes the main Visit Kingston website, specialized event exhibitions (Music From Miles Around, BEES!, Aquaculture), cruise services (Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises), packaged experiences (Kingston Food Experience Package), and an internal partner portal (Frontline). The offering functions as a content aggregation and marketing platform rather than a unified software product with modular architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visit Kingston Website Official tourism website for Kingston, Ontario providing visitor information, event listings, attraction details, accommodation options, package bookings, and travel planning resources. Available in English, French, and Chinese.
• Kingston Food Experience Package Two-night stay package combining accommodations at the Frontenac Club with Kingston Food Tours tickets, dining credits at Bobbi Pecorino's Italian Wine Bar, and breakfast for two.
• Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises Sightseeing and dining cruise services offering Discovery Cruises, Heart of the Islands, Shipwreck, Ghost and Mystery, Sunset Cocktail, Brunch, Lunch, and Sunset Dinner cruises.
• K-Pass (Kingston Attractions Pass) Bundled city pass offering 24-, 48-, or 72-hour access to Kingston attractions, museums, and experiences including Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises, providing bundled entry to multiple tourism assets.
• Visitor Information Centre Services Frontline visitor services at the VIC at 209 Ontario Street, Kingston, including in-person visitor information provision, merchandise sales, guide distribution, and referrals to Kingston Accommodation Partners hotels. Open daily 10am-5pm.
• Kingston Accommodation Partners (KAP) Program Membership and referral network of Kingston hotels and short-term rentals that participate in Tourism Kingston packages and receive referrals from the VIC and frontline workers.
• Business Events Planning Support Dedicated business events section with meeting places, planner support resources, and the Food Recovery & Redistribution Program for corporate and association meeting planners sourcing venues such as DoubleTree by Hilton Kingston, Isabel Bader Centre, and Fort Henry Great Hall.
• Sport Tourism Hosting Support Sport tourism section supporting sport event organizers and teams hosting tournaments and regattas at venues including Slush Puppie Place (Kingston Frontenacs OHL), Portsmouth Olympic Harbour (CORK sailing regattas), and INVISTA Centre.
• Weddings Section (Destination Weddings) Weddings section with stories, listings, and lookbook resources for couples and planners organizing destination weddings at waterfront cruise vessels (Island Queen, Island Star, Island Belle), Fort Henry Great Hall, Tett Centre, Secret Garden Inn, and boutique hotels.
• Film & Media Production Support (Kingston Script to Screen) Film permit applications and forms, location submissions FAQs, and the Kingston Script to Screen program supporting film and TV production crews filming in Kingston.
• Travel Trade & Group Tour Operator Support Dedicated travel trade section with transportation guides, international visitor resources, planner resources, and motorcoach parking information for group tour operators booking Kingston as a destination.
• Kingston Merchandise Online Store Online storefront selling Kingston-branded merchandise including Tragically Hip memorabilia, Kingston apparel, and souvenirs. Access via coupon code HOTEL40 for KAP frontline workers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fort Henry is Ontario's first UNESCO Designated World Heritage Site
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kingston Accommodation Partners (KAP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKAP is a network of Kingston hotels and accommodation providers that participate in Tourism Kingston overnight packages, receive VIC referrals, and access frontline worker discount codes for Tourism Kingston merchandise. The KAP website is maintained separately at kingstonaccommodationpartners.ca and Tourism Kingston lists KAP packages on its platform.
• CGLCC (Canada's 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism Kingston promotes Kingston as a Rainbow Registered destination through the CGLCC's accreditation program. Multiple Kingston businesses individually hold Rainbow Registered certification, and the destination is marketed with this credential to attract 2SLGBTQI+ travelers.
• GreenStep CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKingston holds GreenStep Silver Certified Destination status through GreenStep Canada's sustainable tourism certification program, demonstrating environmental and sustainability commitment.
• City of KingstoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism Kingston operates in partnership with the City of Kingston. The organization manages the VIC and distributes City-affiliated attraction information including Fort Henry, PumpHouse Museum, Kingston Pen Tours, and City Hall Tours. The City provides operational support and municipal resources.
• Empire Life (Music From Miles Around Sponsor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmpire Life is the sponsor of the Music From Miles Around exhibition at Kingston City Hall, a year-long exhibition exploring Kingston's music history including The Tragically Hip's legacy.
• Spinal Cord Injury Ontario (SCIO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism Kingston promotes the annual Kingston Access Expo at Lake Ontario Park Pavilion, organized by Spinal Cord Injury Ontario (SCIO), as part of its event listings to support accessibility tourism and inclusive experiences.
• Great Lakes MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Great Lakes Museum at 55 Ontario Street hosts the Aquaculture: Farming the Waters bilingual exhibit and is co-promoted with Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises for the Shipwreck Cruise. S.S. Keewatin is permanently docked at the Great Lakes Museum site.
• Ontario Hockey League / Kingston FrontenacscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlush Puppie Place (1 The Tragically Hip Way) is home to the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL and has hosted entertainment's greatest names since opening in 2008. The venue is a core sport tourism asset.
• CORK (Kingston) / Portsmouth Olympic HarbourcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortsmouth Olympic Harbour was the 1976 Summer Olympics sailing venue and continues to host CORK sailing regattas with over 1,000 sail boats annually. It features 250 slip finger docks, meeting rooms, and is a key sport tourism driver.
• Queen's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQueen's University is a major Kingston institution that co-hosts attractions including the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (390 King St. W.), Miller Museum of Geology, and the Music From Miles Around exhibition at City Hall. Tourism Kingston promotes 'The Smith Hotel + Queen's Welcome' packages for visitors to Queen's.
• Museum of Surrey (City of Surrey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe BEES! exhibition at PumpHouse Museum was developed by the City of Surrey's Museum of Surrey in collaboration with Honeybee The PumpHouse, representing a cross-museum exhibition partnership.
• Black Dog Hospitality Restaurants (Atomica, Black Dog, Dianne's, Harper's)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlack Dog Hospitality Group (owner of Atomica, Black Dog, Dianne's, and Harper's restaurants) is Rainbow Registered and partners with Trellis HIV & Community Care during Pride Month. Tourism Kingston features these establishments in dining guides and bachelorette party content.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Banff & Lake Louise Tourism: Banff & Lake Louise Tourism is a Canadian DMO marketing an outdoor/heritage destination, UNESCO-adjacent (Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks), with multilingual content and a frontline ambassador program structurally identical to Tourism Kingston's Frontline Today portal.
• Tourisme Montréal: Tourisme Montréal is Quebec's largest city DMO, operating multilingual (English/French and beyond) destination marketing, convention bureau functions, and attraction packaging. It mirrors Tourism Kingston's role at a different scale and is directly comparable in business architecture.
• Explore Edmonton: Explore Edmonton is a Canadian municipal DMO operating destination marketing, convention sales, and attraction packaging. Its mix of heritage, sport, and event tourism with multilingual visitor services makes it a structurally comparable peer to Tourism Kingston.
• Destination Toronto: Destination Toronto is Ontario's largest urban destination marketing organization, operating convention and visitor services for the City of Toronto. It is directly comparable to Tourism Kingston as a Canadian municipal DMO promoting leisure tourism, business events, and film production, but at materially larger scale.
• Tourism Vancouver: Tourism Vancouver is the DMO for Metro Vancouver, operating multilingual destination marketing, convention services, and frontline visitor programs. It mirrors Tourism Kingston's role as a city-level destination marketer with international visitor orientation and convention bureau functions.
• Tourism Whistler: Tourism Whistler is the official DMO for a Canadian resort destination, operating sport tourism marketing (similar to Kingston's CORK regatta and OHL hosting), packaged accommodation products, and multilingual visitor information services. Business model and segment mix closely parallel Tourism Kingston.
• Niagara Falls Tourism: Niagara Falls Tourism is Ontario's most-visited destination DMO, operating attraction pass products (analogous to K-Pass), packaged hotel+attraction bundles, and visitor information services. It is directly comparable to Tourism Kingston in business model with significantly larger scale.
• Ottawa Tourism: Ottawa Tourism is the official DMO for Canada's capital, with comparable bilingual (English/French) destination marketing, convention sales, and sport/event hosting. Both DMOs serve Ontario markets with overlapping visitor source geographies and similar heritage/cultural tourism propositions.
• Discover Halifax: Discover Halifax is the DMO for Halifax, Nova Scotia, with comparable waterfront/heritage destination positioning, sport tourism hosting, and visitor centre operations. Like Tourism Kingston, it serves a mid-sized Canadian city with strong heritage and cruise-tourism assets.

Broad incumbents

• Destination Canada: Destination Canada is Canada's national tourism agency, providing destination marketing, research, and trade support that benefits provincial and city DMOs including Tourism Kingston. It is a broader incumbent that Tourism Kingston coordinates with rather than directly competes against.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tourism-kingston

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Tourism Kingston