Tourism Representation for Canada

The New York State Department of Economic Development Division of Tourism is seeking proposals for tourism representation and marketing services in the Canada marketplace under a five-year contract, with proposals due October 23, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. No SDVOB, MWBE, or DBE contracting goals apply to this international office contract.

The scope encompasses travel trade representation at shows and sales missions, consumer marketing through digital and print media, strategic counsel on Canadian tourism trends, and account management including media database maintenance and inquiry handling. The contractor must establish a dedicated account in Canada exclusively for representative office use and maintain physical presence in London with access to other major Canadian tourism centers. Mandatory qualifications include demonstrated knowledge of the Canadian tourism industry, at least five years of experience with Canadian travel trade and press, proven consumer marketing expertise, destination marketing accomplishments, and three letters of reference substantiating similar successful projects.

The annual budget is approximately $250,000 USD, not to exceed that amount, covering both administrative and marketing activities. The Department will contract separately for booth exhibition fees and may maintain an additional $50,000 discretionary fund annually for tourism activations. The estimated contract value is $1.25 million over five years. The incumbent contractor is Reach Global Marketing. Payment is made on a reimbursement basis for actual services rendered upon receipt of invoices, reports, and deliverables, with quarterly invoicing required. The contract award is estimated for December 2026, with a projected start date of February 1, 2027. The Department retains the right to extend services to additional geographic markets in consultation with the vendor. Questions are due September 25, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Bidders must submit a detailed five-year budget using the prescribed Appendix B format, bound separately from the remainder of the proposal, with line-item totals for each year and a grand total.