Tourism

The Ottawa Valley and Renfrew County have a long history of tourism and the creation of amenities to host and feed visitors, and attractions to engage and entertain tourists from around the world. Our forested wilderness, bisected by the Ottawa River and home to six other river systems, combined with our extensive wetlands, mountains and over nine-hundred lakes provides opportunities for a broad range of four season outdoor activities of every description. There are also many unique and pleasant towns, villages and hamlets with services and cultural attractions reflecting our four hundred years of European settlement. Against this backdrop, our Algonquin First Nations communities trace their presence in their traditional lands back eight-thousand years.

This wide array of tourism activity leads to many opportunities for tourism investment.

As our tourism business operators reach the age of retirement, there are continually many resorts, attractions, hotels, ski areas, outfitters and guides, motels and restaurants available for sale, ready for new investment and innovative approaches to tourism development. There are also many vacant wilderness and waterfront lands available for completely new investments in tourism and wilderness lifestyle and residential developments. As over 50% of the county is forested crown land, open to public access, the opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, nature observation, snowmobiling, boating and paddling, rock and ice climbing is boundless.

The Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA) is the destination marketing organization for Renfrew County, the City of Pembroke and Upper Ottawa Valley with a mandate to promote and grow tourism in the region.

As a not-for-profit membership based organization, the OVTA works with tourism operators, municipalities, community organizations and stakeholders to enhance existing and create new tourism products and experiences for both local residents and tourists.

Membership with the OVTA is free for any tourism business located within the geographic boundaries of Renfrew County and the City of Pembroke and any Indigenous tourism business operating within Omàmìwininì Territory.

For more information about how the OVTA can support your tourism business and to become a member visit www.OttawaValley.travel