Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization

What Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization does

Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization, operating under the brand Central Counties Tourism, is a provincially mandated not-for-profit Regional Tourism Organization (RTO 6) responsible for the strategic development, support, and marketing of tourism across the York, Durham, and Headwaters regions of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Courtice, Ontario, the organization serves hundreds of tourism stakeholders—including tourism SMBs, event organizers, venues, municipal destination marketing organizations, BIAs, Chambers of Commerce, and Boards of Trade. It is led by an Executive Director with a nine-person staff covering marketing, operations, industry relations (with dedicated managers per sub-region), digital marketing, B2B marketing, research, and sales, and is overseen by a 16-member volunteer board.

The organization's product portfolio centers on its AVTR1 augmented reality platform, which uses QR code activation and mobile device cameras to deploy 3D avatar-led immersive experiences with synchronized audio, animations, and closed captioning. AVTR1 is offered via four annual subscription tiers starting at $999/year, scaled by QR code count and content storage capacity, with additional fee-for-service customization. Complementary products include the Learning Lab e-learning platform (featuring the Tourism Ambassador Program), the York Durham Headwaters consumer brand with travel directory and events calendar, and paid programs spanning the Partnership Program (matching funds up to $25,000 per project across four streams), Visitor Research Programs (Postal Code Analysis, Geofencing Analysis), Visitor Growth Planning, Tourism Wayfinding Planning, Marketing Programs, and a Globe and Mail co-op advertising program. Free member accounts provide tourism stakeholders with profile placement, event uploads, and learning access.

Central Counties Tourism operates a hybrid revenue model anchored by core operational funding from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, supplemented by Partnership Program matching-fund contributions from stakeholders, AVTR1 subscription fees, and fee-for-service paid programs. Distribution is primarily regional and community-led, executed through three Industry Relations Managers assigned to Headwaters, York, and Durham, with supplementary self-serve digital channels including the YDH consumer website, member portal, and event calendar. Marketing combines B2B channels (LinkedIn, B2B newsletter, annual tourism symposium) and consumer channels (Instagram @VisitYDH, Facebook, YDH website), supplemented by earned media and press release distribution to media and travel writers. The organization earned five TIAO Tourism Awards in 2022 and continues to expand its program catalogue and digital infrastructure.

Name

Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization

Legal name

Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization

Website

https://centralcounties.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization, operating as Central Counties Tourism, is a provincially mandated not-for-profit RTO that develops, supports, and markets tourism across Ontario's York, Durham, and Headwaters regions, serving hundreds of tourism SMBs, event organizers, and municipal partners through partnership funding, the AVTR1 augmented reality platform, and research and marketing programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Tourism Development Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adventure & Outdoor Local Operators (Trekking/Safari/Diving) (THAKAEAF), Impact Monitoring, Verification & Reporting (MRV) Tools (Impact KPIs, Compliance Reporting) (THAAANAN)

Keywords

• Regional tourism development
• Destination marketing services
• Augmented reality experiences
• Tourism partnership programs
• Visitor research analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Courtice

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Provincial Government Funding: As a provincially funded not-for-profit organization (Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization), the organization is primarily funded by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. This is the core operational funding that enables the organization to provide programs and services to stakeholders.
2. Partnership Program - Matching Funds: An annual matching-funds program that financially supports stakeholders in building capacity and driving growth in the visitor economy. The program provides matched funding up to specific limits ($25,000 for CCT Partnered & Destination Development Projects, $10,000 for High Impact Festivals & Events, $2,000 for Tourism Marketing Support) in exchange for stakeholder participation.
3. AVTR1 Subscription Revenue: Annual subscription model for the AVTR1 augmented reality platform, with four pricing tiers ranging from $999/year for introductory subscriptions. Additional fee-for-service options available for customization and support.
4. Paid Programs: Revenue-generating paid programs including Research Programs (Visitor Research, Postal Code Analysis, Geofencing Analysis), Visitor Growth Plans, Tourism Wayfinding Plans, and Marketing Programs that help partners at reduced co-op advertising rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization (operating as Central Counties Tourism) is a provincially mandated Regional Tourism Organization that develops, supports, and promotes tourism across the York, Durham, and Headwaters regions of Ontario through stakeholder partnership programs, strategic destination marketing, visitor research, and collaboration. The organization operates paid programs including matching-funds partnership grants (up to $25,000), visitor research (postal code and geofencing analysis), visitor growth planning, tourism wayfinding planning, and co-op advertising, and sells subscriptions to its proprietary AVTR1 augmented reality platform that enables tourism businesses to deploy QR-code-triggered, avatar-led immersive tours.

Product overview

Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization (Central Counties Tourism) operates as a not-for-profit regional tourism organization serving York, Durham, and Headwaters regions. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and services including AVTR1 (an augmented reality platform with avatar-led immersive experiences using QR code technology and mobile apps), a Learning Lab e-learning platform, the York Durham Headwaters consumer brand with travel directory and events calendar, and paid programs including Partnership Program (matching funds up to $25,000), Visitor Research Program (with postal code and geofencing analysis), Visitor Growth Planning, Tourism Wayfinding Planning, Marketing Program, and Globe and Mail Advertising. The organization also provides free member accounts for businesses to access marketing resources, learning content, and event promotion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AVTR1: Augmented reality platform designed to transform customer experiences into compelling journeys through avatar-led tours. Available for museums, breweries, hotels, towns, and other venues. Uses QR code activation and mobile device lens technology.
• Learning Lab
• York Durham Headwaters

Products and services

• AVTR1 Augmented Reality Platform Software platform that enables tourism businesses (museums, breweries, hotels, towns, attractions) to create customized avatar-led immersive guided tours via QR code activation, viewable on mobile devices with synchronized audio, 3D animations, and closed captioning.
• Learning Lab E-Learning Platform E-learning platform offering courses for tourism business professionals to build industry capacity, including the Tourism Ambassador Program and other staff equipping tools.
• York Durham Headwaters Travel Directory and Events Calendar Consumer-facing brand and digital directory enabling member tourism businesses to publish profiles and event listings for visitors planning trips to the York, Durham, and Headwaters regions.
• Partnership Program Annual matching-funds program providing financial support to tourism stakeholders through four streams for project, event, and marketing capacity building in exchange for stakeholder participation.
• Visitor Research Program Paid research program providing insights into visitor demographics, behaviors, visitation patterns, and economic impact through Postal Code Analysis and Geofencing Analysis methodologies.
• Visitor Growth Planning Planning service assisting municipalities in developing and implementing unified roadmaps for coordinated tourism growth, providing tools and guidance for effective tourism strategies.
• Tourism Wayfinding Planning Planning service assisting municipalities in developing effective directional signage strategies to increase visitor numbers to key attractions and boost local economies.
• Marketing Program Tourism marketing opportunities including consumer marketing, co-op advertising, photography, and storytelling to help partners promote offerings and reach targeted audiences.
• Globe and Mail Advertising Program Co-op advertising program providing partners exclusive access to full-page destination advertisements in The Globe and Mail at significantly reduced rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 6.5M visitors traveled more than 40km to explore Durham Downtowns in 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Destination OntariominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial tourism marketing organization that provides research data and marketing support. Collaborates on visitor sentiment research and tourism promotion initiatives.
• Attractions OntariominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association with whom Central Counties participates in working groups for updates on industry state, sharing best practices, and lobbying efforts for attraction members.
• Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) / Island Lake Conservation AreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for YDH Trails Talks - collaborative initiative combining conservation area experiences with regional tourism marketing. Won TIAO Sustainability awards.
• Jolly Zee AlpacasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgritourism partner operating on Alabaster Acres farmland, providing additional visitor attraction and collaborative experiences within Headwaters region.
• Municipal DMOs, BIAs, Chambers, and Boards of TradecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partners helping spread the word about FedDev grant opportunities and collaborating on tourism development initiatives across York, Durham, and Headwaters.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Destination Ontario: Provincial tourism marketing organization responsible for promoting Ontario as a destination. Comparable as the parent-level provincial DMO that funds and coordinates with RTOs including CCT.
• Destination Canada: National tourism marketing organization for Canada. Comparable as the higher-tier DMO that coordinates with provincial and regional tourism organizations including RTOs like CCT.

Direct peers

• Visit Halifax: Regional destination marketing organization for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Direct peer as another Canadian DMO serving a defined region with stakeholder partnership programs and visitor marketing services.
• Banff & Lake Louise Tourism: Destination marketing organization for Banff & Lake Louise region, focused on visitor experience and stakeholder coordination. Comparable as a regional Canadian DMO focused on outdoor/scenic tourism marketing.
• Tourism Toronto: Regional destination marketing organization for the Toronto region, providing visitor information, marketing, and stakeholder support. Directly comparable as a Canadian DMO operating with similar mandate, stakeholder engagement model, and revenue mix.
• Tourism Vancouver: Regional destination marketing organization for Greater Vancouver, providing visitor information, convention sales, and stakeholder partnerships. Direct peer as a Canadian destination DMO with similar business model and stakeholder services.
• Ottawa Tourism: Regional DMO for Canada's capital region, offering destination marketing, visitor services, and stakeholder partnership programs. Direct peer as another Canadian municipal/regional tourism organization with comparable mandate.
• Tourism Calgary: Calgary's destination marketing organization providing visitor services, convention support, and stakeholder engagement. Direct peer as a Canadian regional DMO with comparable mandate.

Others

• Simpleview: Leading CRM, CMS, and marketing technology provider specifically serving destination marketing organizations globally. Adjacent peer as a key technology partner and ecosystem enabler for DMOs like CCT.
• Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO): Provincial tourism industry association providing advocacy, networking, and industry awards (including the TIAO awards CCT won in 2022). Adjacent peer as a tourism industry body that CCT participates in and receives recognition from.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/centralcountiestourism
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-counties-tourism
• Instagraminstagram.com/centralcountiestourism

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 Zone 6 Regional Tourism Organization