The Haliburton Highlands is expected to have a strong summer tourism season, according to County of Haliburton tourism manager, Angelica Ingram.
Speaking during a June 10 council meeting, she said recent data and industry outlooks are pointing toward another strong summer for Canadian tourism, with growing demand for domestic travel expected to benefit rural and nature-based destinations across the country, including the Haliburton Highlands.
Ingram said Destination Canada’s latest outlook projects continued growth in tourism spending and visitation, driven in large part by Canadians choosing to travel within Canada and exploring destinations closer to home. Tourism spending nationally is forecast to grow by six per cent in 2026, building on a record-breaking 2025 summer season.
Ingram added the outlook is particularly positive for regions such as the Highlands, that offer outdoor recreation, lakes, trails, authentic small-town experiences, and year-round tourism opportunities.
“Industry reports indicate that Canadians are increasingly prioritizing road trips, nature-based travel, and shorter domestic getaways focused on relaxation and reconnecting with family and friends. This trend aligns closely with the tourism experiences available throughout Haliburton County and positions the region well to benefit from increased domestic visitation this summer.”
Ingram told councillors additional data also suggests more people are choosing Canadian destinations over trips to the U.S. “This shift is creating stronger demand for Ontario tourism destinations and helping support local businesses, accommodations, restaurants, attractions, and tourism operators.
“Rural and leisure-focused destinations across Canada have seen some of the strongest tourism gains over the past year, with many regions reporting increased occupancy levels and visitor spending.”
Ingram said for the Haliburton Highlands, the national tourism trends present an important opportunity to continue building momentum for the local visitor economy.
International travellers triple
“Increased domestic travel demand is expected to support local tourism operators, generate economic activity across communities, and strengthen shoulder season and summer visitation. The County’s continued investment in tourism marketing, destination development, and stakeholder collaboration positions the Haliburton Highlands to capitalize on these positive national trends and further reinforce the region as a premier Ontario getaway destination.”
Taking advantage of World Cup
Ingram added one example of how the Haliburton Highlands is aiming to cash in on a strong summer for Canadian tourism is by capitalizing on events such as the FIFA World Cup, in Toronto this June and July. Early data from Destination Ontario points to nine of 10 visitors indicating they plan to explore destinations throughout Ontario, particularly those within a three-hour radius of the city.
“Haliburton County has the advantage of offering the quintessential cottage country experience, which is appealing to travellers coming from international destinations. The tourism team is taking advantage of these opportunities by positioning the Haliburton Highlands as a great destination for a day trip or a multi-day adventure and has begun marketing initiatives to reflect this.” She said one example can be found on their website, where a new ‘day trips’ page has been added.
General manager of Haliburton Forest, Tegan Legge, said it was still a bit early to tell with things such as the canopy tour, and wolf centre as school is not yet out. “But we are shaping up so far for a very busy summer of people camping (mainly domestic markets) and in our accommodations.
“Our international bookings have tripled over last year’s revenue with guests coming primarily from Germany, The Netherlands, UK, Switzerland, and Belgium. They are typically booking accommodations, canopy tours and wolf centre visits.”
She added that this spring, they did a full refresh of the wolf centre with new carpet, added an accessible, genderneutral washroom, and re-organized and revitalized displays in time for summer.
“We anticipate another great summer.”
Heritage passport
Ingram also talked up a new Haliburton Highlands heritage passport, which should be available at all local museums by the end of this week. She said it was a spinoff from a project they did with the Minden Hills Cultural Centre last year. This year’s is for all six museums in the County.
She said people collect stamps when they visit, and if they collect six, can get a free Kawartha Dairy ice cream. If they gather eight, they are eligible to win a prize.
“This is just to promote the heritage in our area; to promote visitation; we believe there will be some economic spinoffs; it’s free, there’s no cost for families to participate, and, if successful, we would like to continue this project moving forward.”
