From a passion for truly excellent pizza to a natural love for the underdog, Digital Marketing Specialist Sara Dunbrook is in the perfect spot, professionally – working in a role that gives her an opportunity to advocate for businesses in a sometimes-underappreciated region that also happens to dish up really good pizza.
With a degree in communications and a background working in tourism, Sara was a natural fit for her role with Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO). One of her previous positions was working with the tourism brand itravel2000, where she was able to get an insider look at the tourism world.
And that’s all it took.
“I jumped at the opportunity to get back into travel and tourism, specifically running social media pages for something everyone really enjoys that brings happiness to people,” explained Sara.
For Sara, being able to support the lesser-known gems in the province is one of the key attractions to working in Ontario’s Highlands. Add in the opportunity to work for an organization that has the freedom to do things a little differently, and nearly four years later Sara is still committed to her role and the work she does here.
“I like that we stand out, that we’re one of the smaller, less populated areas in Ontario but we still do a lot on Instagram…we’re the fourth most followed Regional Tourism Organization out of 12,” said Sara. “We kind of do things differently here and try new things and do more things on a grassroots level.”
“That’s meant we have made some ripples in the Ontario tourism environment.”
Part of the appeal to her role in managing the digital channels for OHTO is the opportunity to interact with both visitors and locals alike. Given the vastness of the region, this gives her information about what living and visiting the region is like, and what’s going on in the communities here.
As someone who has been making the drive from Renfrew through Haliburton three or four times a year for the last decade, the appeal of the wide-open spaces, the large tracts of forested terrain, and the small communities that pepper in between is huge. As it happens, Sara is also an outdoor and sports enthusiast who spends a lot of time cycling the backroads of Ontario’s Highlands, and often vacations in the area.
Her insider tip (naturally) involves food (although not specifically pizza).
“Follow your taste buds, there are a lot of places to sit down for a meal or grab something quick. If your stomach says stop for ice cream, then stop for ice cream…you won’t regret it.”
Connect with Sara
Operators and stakeholders are invited to connect with Sara to learn about what digital marketing opportunities are available and how they can partner with OHTO. Sara can be reached at 613-629-6486 (1-855-629-OHTO) ext. 206 or via email at sara.dunbrook@ohto.ca.
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