Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Destination Markham launches summer initiatives to support the visitor economy

MARKHAM, ON – June 30, 2021 – Destination Markham launches three major initiatives to support the re-opening of businesses and to stimulate Markham’s visitor economy.

These initiatives include the:

Safe Travels stamp, a global tourism program created to assure local and international travellers that businesses are safe to visit;
#MyMarkhamPass a mobile-exclusive savings pass for residents and visitors to download and use across businesses in the Markham to save and support the tourism sector, and;
“Be Our Guest” initiative and campaign, created to support the Hotel and Hospitality Sector in Markham.

Safe Travels

The City of Markham congratulates the first cohort of businesses participating in the Safe Travels program, a global tourism initiative created to assure local residents and international travellers that hotels, hospitality outlets, retail businesses, leisure, cultural, entertainment and sports venues are meeting the highest standards of COVID-19 safety protocols.

Over 185 Markham businesses have already become Safe Travels certified.

Created in 2020 by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and overseen by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), the Safe Travels plan is being promoted by Destination Markham, a new organization created to support regional attractions, events, businesses, residents and visitors, and to work with all small business sectors and the City of Markham.

“Destination Markham is your source for everything Markham and is committed to working with local businesses to welcome visitors back warmly and safely,” said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. "Destination Markham is providing a one-stop website listing businesses who have been certified with the Safe Travels stamp to show Canadians that Markham is a safe and enjoyable destination of choice and I encourage Markham businesses to participate.”

Destination Markham joins the Mayor in encouraging businesses in Markham to apply for the Safe Travels stamp. The stamp is based on self-assessment and the application form, available in English and Chinese, can be found at visitmarkham.ca/safety.

#MyMarkhamPass

The #MyMarkhamPass is a mobile-exclusive coupon book, featuring over 70 Markham businesses. Destination Markham invites Markham residents to download the pass before they go exploring, and to take it along to enjoy discounts at hotels, restaurants, attractions, retailers, spas, and more.

Markham residents can sign up for free at visitmarkham.ca/save to get the #MyMarkhamPass delivered to any mobile phone. Present the pass on the phone when visiting participating locations to start saving right away! Over 1,200 passes have already been downloaded.

Use the pass to "check-in" at each place to be entered to win one of ten $100 gift cards to use at your favourite destination business in Markham.

Be Our Guest

The “Be Our Guest” campaign supports the Markham hospitality sector by providing guests at Markham hotels with an incentive to shop and eat at Markham businesses.

Receive a “DMC Cash Card” – a prepaid Visa card that can be used to stimulate the local visitor economy – when you book an overnight stay and show your Together Apart Summer Cirque show ticket at participating hotels in Markham.

Together Apart, created by The Concierge Club, is taking place at the Markham Fairgrounds from Canada Day to August 1, 2021. It is Canada's first physically distanced cirque event, bringing people safely together while being apart. The show features Montreal’s own, world-famous, multiple Tony Award-winning, The 7 Fingers acrobatic collective.

To view participating hotels and book your stay, go to visitmarkham.ca/beourguest.

Businesses that are looking to better understand COVID-19 health and safety regulations can visit markham.ca/CovidEnforcement. All local restaurants, retailers and artisans are encouraged to join Destination Markham’s online business listing at visitmarkham.ca, where they can be found quickly by a community eager to support local. Finance, tax and legal workshops, as well as pre-recorded webinars, continue to be available via the Markham Small Business Centre during these challenging times.

Related Links:

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Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti's Office:
Bryan Frois, Chief of Staff at bfrois@markham.ca or 416.567.1177.

All other media inquiries / interview requests for the City of Markham:
Jennifer Yap, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations at jyap@markham.ca or 437.229.2450.

All media inquiries / interview requests for the Destination Markham:
Kayla van Zon, Marketing Lead at kvanzon@interkom.ca or 905.407.6439.

For COVID-19 announcements from the City of Markham:
Visit markham.ca/covid19 or listen to 105.9 The Region – Markham’s information and emergency radio station.

About Markham: Markham, an award-winning municipality with more than 351,000 residents and the largest of nine communities in York Region, is home to over 650 headquartered companies and more than 1,500 high tech and life science companies. Markham is a leader in attracting foreign direct investment with more than 234 foreign companies located in the City. Founded in the 1790s, today Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and enjoys a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy.

Stay Connected: Visit our newsroom or search #MarkhamNews and #MarkhamEvents for the latest information on City programs, services and event.