Responsible Travel – Our Industry Can Make A Difference

Help Us Ask Visitors to Travel With Respect

 

Your tourism business has the power to influence travel through your newsletters, blogs, social media posts and daily interactions with visitors to Grey County. Help us ask visitors to Rediscover Grey Responsibly this summer by using the tools provided on this page. Find Insider Tips curated by each Municipality's Staff that you can recommend to customers,  find informative posters for your storefront and much more. This summer, let’s all do our part in encouraging visitors to respect our communities, our environment, our businesses, and the fellow travellers and locals they meet along the way because #TourismMattersInGrey!

  • Share these helpful Rediscover Responsibly tips with your customers:
    • Be prepared.
      Before you head out, check all appropriate websites and social media. Call businesses and locations ahead of time, as they may be closed or offering reduced services or hours. Book any reservations well in advance.
       
    • Do not trespass.
      Please respect public and private landowners. It’s a privilege to explore the area and trails. Ensure you obey all signs and boundaries, and follow proper trail etiquette.
       
    • Respect nature, agriculture, and wildlife.
      Avoid disturbing the natural habitat, farmland or crops, and refrain from feeding any wildlife you encounter. Do not approach or touch farm animals.
       
    • Protect our environment.
      Do not litter. Always clean up after yourselves. Pack out what you bring in, including food packaging, scraps and pet waste.
       
    • Photograph Safely. “Don’t do it for the ‘gram.”
      Your safety is more important than any picture you could take. Photography near dangerous locations such as cliff edges, moving water, crevices/caves, busy roads/roadways or on private property such as farmland could result in serious injuries or accidents. Don’t let the shot be the most important thing when rediscovering Grey. 
       
    • Observe COVID-19 protocols.
      Be aware of and obey all applicable federal, provincial and local emergency orders and by-laws.
       
  • Direct visitors to our Rediscover Responsibly page: Visitgrey.ca/trip-ideas/rediscover-responsibly and Trail Etiquette page: VisitGrey.ca/trip-ideas/trail-etiquette. Content on the page includes tips and strategies for those ready to travel and  guidelines for polite, safe, trail use.
     
  • Consider including these tips and links in emails and reservation confirmations to ensure travelers are prepared to visit your business and Grey County safely.
     
  • Share our Rediscover Responsibly messaging on your websites and social media channels using these templates.
    • Make sure to tag Visit Grey and use the hashtag #TourismMattersInGrey in your posts!
      • Facebook: @GreyCountyTourism
      • Twitter: @VisitGrey
      • Instagram: @VisitGrey
         
  • Download the Rediscover Responsibly poster for display in your storefront. Download PDF here.
Rediscover Responsibly Poster
Download PDF

 

  • Download the Trail Etiquette poster for display in your storefront. Download PDF here.
Grey County Trail Etiquette Poster
Download PDF
  • Create zero-waste content that lives by example and shows how to be a responsible traveler, with eco-friendly habits and tips. Drive home the message to followers about leaving no trace – for example, images or videos of doing a roadside clean, or using non-plastic bottles. 

Insider Tips From Our Municipalities

This summer, help us ask visitors to Rediscover Grey Responsibly. Municipality Staff from across Grey County are offering these insider tips when you are recommending to visitors Rediscovering Grey County.

Cheat Sheet TOBM
Click for Chatsworth Insider Tips
Cheat Sheet Grey Highlands
Cheat Sheet Hanover
Meaford Insider Tips Graphic
Chaet Sheet Owen Sound
Click for Southgate Insider Tips
West Grey Insider Tips

Best Practices for Everyday Action

Below are some simple practices your business can adopt to promote responsible travellers while still delivering exciting experiences to visitors today and in the years to come.

 

Seasonality

Grey County is blessed to be a four-season destination and avoiding peak travel seasons is an essential component to alleviating crowding and tourism-related pressures on our communities and attractions. Help us by telling the story of Grey County at all times of the year to help alleviate pressures in peak periods. Build and promote content that supports visitation in shoulder and low travel periods to not only relieve this pressure but lead to an enhanced visitor experience with reduced accessibility concerns. Crowds, queues and accessibility issues often affect visitor and resident sentiment and may negatively impact the local population and environment. Spreading the tourism love across 12 months of the year will contribute to a positive experience for all and will assist in protecting our communities and their precious resources for future generations of travelers and those who call Grey County home.

Product Development

Spread visitors across the County and match their passions with Grey County’s abundance of experiences and diverse communities. This will not only ensure ongoing sustainable growth in travel, but also lead to reduced pressures on popular highly frequented spots and iconic attractions. Contract the hidden gems and build road-trip itineraries that offer unique travel options. Delivering experiences beyond the mainstream for your clients will provide superior travel experiences that result in happy, repeat customers. 

Imagery

Be mindful of image selections in your promotions. Selecting the same iconic imagery as everyone else will encourage visitors to visit the same places regardless of their booking channel and may limit consideration of the breadth of experiences available to them. Consider showcasing smaller, lesser known attractions and regional imagery to encourage itinerary development with your clients.

Partnerships

Embrace partnership and marketing opportunities that support visitor dispersion, eco-friendly activities and responsible tourism. Grey County’s research indicates that sustainability is becoming increasingly important to both our visitors and residents. Together, we can build awareness of collective efforts to protect the environment for and with our guests.