CORRECTION: This article has been updated to include a previously missing name from the list of board members, Sarah Kaufman, CEO and curator of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum.

At the behest of the town, Tourism NOTL has put together a board of directors who will supervise Niagara-on-the-Lake’s tourism marketing campaigns.

Tourism NOTL, the town’s official destination marketing organization, uses a 50 per cent share of the town’s room tax revenue for marketing Niagara-on-the-Lake as a travel destination to outsiders, while the town uses its share to invest in tourism infrastructure.

Tourism NOTL executive director Kathy Weiss presented the list of board members at a meeting on Feb. 25.

The new board consists of Tim Coons, a senior manager with Andrew Peller Limited; Bo Wang Frape, the Shaw Festival’s chief financial officer; Robin Garrett, chair of the Niagara District Aiport; Paul MacIntyre, who holds a senior leadership position with Lais Hotels; Del Rollo, vice president of corporate affairs at Ontario Wines Canada; Tina Truszyk, a former marketing director with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario; Sarah Kaufman, CEO and curator of the NOTL Museum; and Craig Youdale, Niagara College’s dean of culinary, tourism and beverage studies.

In a call after the meeting, Coun. Wendy Cheropita said they received about 25 applications for the board and she was pleased with the talent.

She also said the board would help improve financial transparency between the town and its marketing partner.

Council developed concerns about the financial transparency of the marketing group at a meeting in November 2023, when former Tourism NOTL president Minerva Ward came to council asking for a loan.

As a fully owned subsidiary of the town’s chamber of commerce, the marketing group’s finances were linked with that of the chamber.

“So (council) asked to have the financials separated for the two organizations,” Cheropita said.

This led to the call for a new board of directors to oversee the destination marketing organization.

MacIntyre will serve as board chair with Truszyk as his vice-chair, and the town will appoint a council member to the board at a future meeting.

MacIntyre recommended that the councillor have some experience in the marketing and tourism sectors.

“It is the board’s goal to leverage every opportunity to sustainably grow Niagara-on-the-Lake’s visitor economy,” MacIntyre said.

He said the board would follow directions in the town’s tourism strategy to market to “high-yield, low-impact visitors.”

Professionals in the global tourism industry define “high-yield low-impact” tourism as a focus on quality on quantity — attracting fewer visitors who will spend more money.

Coun. Sandra O’Connor said some of the business owners along Queen Street were unaware the board was being formed.

She asked how the board would represent those businesses’ interests.

“I think engagement is key,” MacIntyre said.

Coun. Adriana Vizzari asked if Weiss and her team had tried to represent each of the town’s five villages with its recruitment process.

Weiss said they received applications all over town and were “quite happy” with the representation.