Multi-Season Tourism Product Development Fund

The Multi-Season Tourism Product Development Fund will provide assistance to PEI tourism businesses to create and develop new product offerings that will help grow Prince Edward Island as a multi-season tourism destination. The fund will be administered through a joint partnership between Tourism PEI, Regional Tourism Associations (RTAs) and Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), including:

• Central Coastal Tourism Partnership
• Discover Charlottetown 
• Explore Summerside
• Island East Tourism Group
• North Cape Coastal Tourism Partnership
• Tourism Cavendish Beach

Goal

To incentivize operators to create and develop new ideas and new product offerings that will help to grow Prince Edward Island as a multi-season tourism destination. The following are examples of desired program outcomes: 

• provide more reasons for visitors and Islanders to visit regions outside of the peak tourism season
• support operators' ability to sustain operations and retain staff,
• allow RTAs/DMOs to round out the product mix during non-peak times,
• provide for direct impact on restaurants, accommodations, retailers, experience providers and/or attractions, and;
• develop new product offerings to create a strong shoulder season brand for PEI and showcase PEI as a multi-season tourism destination. 
• reduce risk for operators to try new initiatives,

Eligibility

• Applicants must be a for-profit Island-owned tourism business and a member of the RTA/DMO to which the application is addressed,
• Tourism establishment is licensed under the Tourism Industry Act as hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, inn, resort, cottage operation or campground.
  • Any establishment must be used for business activity and not, whole or in part, for primary residential purposes;
  • For a cottage operation, the owner must have more than one cottage unit.
  • For a bed & breakfast, where the owner resides to assist with operations and has a minimum of at least 4 guest bedrooms with private bathrooms that are assigned to the exclusive use of a guest or party of guests and hospitality is provided by the tourism operator.
• Owners must contribute a minimum of 15% of the total project cost;
• Owners are responsible for all financial risk associated with the initiative;
• Owners are responsible to meet all requirements of federal and provincial legislation and municipal by-laws,
• RTA/DMO-led projects are eligible for funding up to a maximum of $7,500 per RTA/DMO;
• Consulting fees for the development of new tourism-related products are eligible for funding, to a maximum of 25% of awarded funding or $1,875.
• The maximum any one operator is eligible to receive is $7,500, regardless of number of projects proposed,
• All recipients must provide a final report to the respective RTA/DMO on how the funding was used and the results of the initiative; 
• Claims must be supported by invoice and proof of payment, and;
• Any transaction must be completed between two parties operating at arm’s length.

As an applicant, you must submit your application to the RTA/DMO where your business is located, not where corporate offices are located. 

Example: A tour company that operates across the Island may only apply to the RTA/DMO where the related office is located. If an office does not exist, the operator must apply to only one RTA/DMO; applications to multiple RTAs/DMOs are not permitted.

Ineligible

• All non-Canadian or publicly traded companies or a company owned by the same are excluded from this program. Additionally, corporate-run operations of a franchise network with establishments located outside of PEI are excluded from this program.
• Public sector organizations are not eligible (federal, provincial, municipal governments, development corporations, and crown corporations).

Application Requirements

• Submit a one-page application to your respective RTA or DMO that describes your proposed initiative, its budget and how it will benefit tourism development in 2023.
• Programming that expresses a commitment to shoulder-season extension and a desire to explore annual events will receive priority.
• Activities and events funded through this program must list the respective RTA/DMO as a partner.

Funding Levels

Non-repayable funding is available to a maximum of $7,500 per eligible business.

Timeline

• Projects should be completed by November 30, 2023.
• Recipients must invest a minimum of 15% of the total project costs.
• Eligible costs begin from the date of application approval to November 30, 2023.