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NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL
PORTAL USER GUIDE
NL Tourism Operator Portal Team
Department of Tourism, Culture,
Industry and Innovation
P.O. Box 8700
St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6
NLTourismOperatorPortal.com
709-729-5599 (Portal)
709-729-2835 (Licencing Accommodation/Campgrounds)
709-729-3889 (Occupancy Accommodation/Campgrounds)
709-729-6857 (Outfitting)
4th Edition
June 16, 2020
.
June 15, 2020 is the new Deadline to Renew for 2021 Traveller’s Guide and
NewfoundlandLabrador.com
While we recognize there is still much uncertainty around what the 2020 tourism season will
look like, we do know that planning for next year is more important than ever.
On May 11, tourism operators will receive email notification, via the Newfoundland and
Labrador Tourism Operator Portal (NLTOP) indicating that it’s time to renew business
listing(s) for publication in the 2021 Traveller’s Guide and on NewfoundlandLabrador.com for
2021.
Accommodation and Campground Operators: you will receive additional notification in the
coming weeks with details and deadlines regarding licencing. For now, as you update your
business listing, you will see that ‘maximum rate’ is a required field in the Portal for all
operators. Please note: this field is not published in the Traveller’s Guide or on
NewfoundlandLabrador.com, only the Rate Summary field is published. You will have an
opportunity to revise both fields later during the licencing process.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 2 of 68
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
WHAT IS THE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL 5
Communications from NL Tourism 5
REQUIREMENTS FOR LISTINGS 6
Is your business eligible for a listing? 6
Tourism Assurance Program (TAP) 7
Tourist Establishment Licence - Accommodations, Campgrounds and Outfitters Only 8
Occupancy Statistics Reporting 8
PREPARING TO USE THE PORTAL 9
CREATING AN ACCOUNT 11
New Owners of an Existing Licenced Business 11
Create a Portal Account 11
Verify your Email 13
Forgotten Password 14
Add Off-Season Contact Information 14
PORTAL BASICS 15
Navigation Bar 15
Updating a Current Year Business Listing 16
Renewing a Business Listing 17
Understanding Status and Actions on Homepage 18
Submit Occupancy/Annual Reports 19
Save for Later 19
Hints and Rules 20
Updating or Renewing More than one Business Listing 20
Do not use the Browser Back Button 20
AT A GLANCE: HOW TO APPLY, RENEW AND UPDATE 21
RENEWING/RE-LICENCING 22
Deadlines 22
To quickly move around the
document, click the Ctrl button
on your keyboard and title
within the Table of Contents.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 3 of 68
Tourist Establishment Licence - Renewal Requirements 22
APPLICATION STEPS FOR APPLYING/RENEWING AND UPDATING 23
New Business - Select Business Category 24
Descriptions 25
Location and Season Dates 26
General Business Information 28
Online and Social Media 29
Rates 30
Electronic Payment 30
Capacity Description 31
Insurance 31
Accessibility (optional) 32
Products 32
Amenities 33
Amenity - No Pets Allowed (Service Animals Welcome) 33
Support Documents 33
Images 34
Submit Your Application 38
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR LICENCING APPROVAL DOCUMENTS 39
HOW TO PRINT YOUR LICENCE 39
TRAVEL OFFERS, PACKAGES AND EXPERIENCES 40
OCCUPANCY/STATISTICAL REPORTS 47
Accommodations and Campground Instructions 47
Entering Your Reports – Licenced Tourism Businesses 49
Occupancy Report Definitions 50
Outfitter Instructions 50
Entering Your Reports – Licenced Outfitters 52
HELPFUL HINTS WHEN WRITING BUSINESS LISTINGS 53
EXAMPLES OF DESCRIPTIONS 54
FAQs 55
CATEGORY AND PRODUCT DEFINITIONS 57
Accommodations 57
Parks and Campgrounds 57
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 4 of 68
Attractions 58
Festivals and Events 60
Tours 61
Shopping 62
Food and Beverage Establishments 63
Outfitters 64
Non-Resident Inbound Province-wide Tour Operators 65
Transportation Service Providers 65
Visitor Services 65
Travel Offers, Packages and Experiences – Definitions & Criteria 66
Hunting and Angling Packages – Definitions & Criteria 68
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 5 of 68
WHAT IS THE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR TOURISM OPERATOR
PORTAL The Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Operator Portal is an online tool that allows tourism
operators to:
● apply, update and renew your own Business Listings and Images;
● submit Travel Offers/Experiences and Packages;
● apply and renew your Tourist Establishment Licence (Accommodations, Campgrounds
and Outfitters only);
● submit your occupancy statistics (where required).
You can log in to the Portal to access your information at any time throughout the year to: (1)
check on the status of your application; (2) ensure your website listing(s) is current and correct
online; (3) submit your occupancy statistics.
Each year, you must use the Portal to renew your listing(s) and re-licence your Tourist
Establishment licence(s) to continue operating under the Tourist Establishment Act and to be
included in the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism marketing initiatives such as business
listings online and/or in the Traveller’s Guide.
Communications from NL Tourism Email is the primary channel to receive communications from Newfoundland and Labrador
Tourism (NLT). Tourism operators registered with the NL Tourism Operator Portal will
automatically receive emails.
Through email, you will receive important notices such as deadlines for renewing your business
listings, Tourist Establishment Licence(s), statistical/occupancy reports, deadlines for marketing
initiatives like ads in the Traveller’s Guide and packages/experiences ads on
NewfoundlandlandLabrador.com.
Emails will be addressed from [email protected],
[email protected], and [email protected].
Add these emails to your contact list to ensure the
Portal emails arrive in your inbox and not in your
spam/junk folder.
Add these email addresses to your
contact list to ensure the Portal emails
arrive in your inbox and not your
spam/junk folder.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 6 of 68
REQUIREMENTS FOR LISTINGS
Listings are designed to bring the most important information about your business front and
centre for travellers. Tourism operators must provide their business information to NL Tourism
through the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Operator Portal. The Portal uses this
information to publish business listings online and/or in the Traveller’s Guide; and to issues
Tourist Establishment Licences where required.
Only businesses whose physical addresses within Newfoundland and Labrador will be able to
list within the Portal. Exceptions are: Non-resident In-Bound Tour Operators and certain In-
bound Transportation Providers servicing Newfoundland and Labrador.
A business’s physical location, headquarters, watershed (Outfitters only) will determine which
community/region the listing will appear in on our website. No alternative community can be
selected. If a business has no physical address and only has a P.O. Box, it will not be listed.
Is your business eligible for a listing? The following types of businesses are eligible for listings in the NL Tourism Operator Portal:
Business Types Online Listing Travel Guide Listings
Submit/Edit Listings via Portal
Accommodations NewfoundlandLabrador.com Yes Yes
Parks and Campgrounds
NewfoundlandLabrador.com Yes Yes
Attractions NewfoundlandLabrador.com Yes Yes
Festivals and Events NewfoundlandLabrador.com Yes Yes
Tours NewfoundlandLabrador.com Yes Yes
Shopping NewfoundlandLabrador.com Yes Yes
Food & Beverage Operators
NewfoundlandLabrador.com No Yes
Hunting and Angling Outfitters
HuntingNewfoundlandLabrador.com AngingNewfoundlandLabrador.com
No Yes
Non-resident In-bound Province Wide Tourism Operators
NewfoundlandLabrador.com No Contact Portal Team
Transportation Providers
NewfoundlandLabrador.com (Basic Listings)
No Contact Portal Team
Visitor Information Services
NewfoundlandLabrador.com (Basic Listings)
No Contact Portal Team
There are category and product options under each business type
(e.g. under Tours, you’ll select the category and the product that
applies like ‘Day Tours’ and ‘Whale Watching Tour’). Please refer
to the CATEGORY AND PRODUCT DEFINITIONS section (page
57) of this User Guide for a full list of options.
Also see CATEGORY AND
PRODUCT DEFINITIONS
section (page 57) to determine
what business groups and your
products.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 7 of 68
All Portal submissions/applications will be reviewed individually to ensure businesses meet all
requirements. Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism reserves the right to refuse any applications
that do not meet requirements.
Examples of businesses generally not eligible are: standard retail establishments (e.g.
grocery stores, hardware stores, pharmacies); organizations, groups, clubs, and online only
businesses.
Tourism Assurance Program (TAP)
All tourism businesses wishing to participate in Newfoundland and Labrador partnership
initiatives, such as NewfoundlandLabrador.com, HuntingNewfoundlandLabrador.com,
AnglingNewfoundlandLabrador.com, and in the annual Traveller’s Guide, must meet the
Tourism Assurance Program (TAP) minimum standards, as established by the tourism industry.
Please visit Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador to
ensure that you meet these minimum standards to be
considered TAP approved.
The five minimum standards are:
● The ability to communicate and receive messages from customers by telephone, email and an online presence; and at a minimum accept credit, debit payment and or electronic payment; and respond to inquiries on a daily basis.
● Possess and maintain all valid licences, permits and other regulatory requirements to operate a business in this province.
● Maintain current and sufficient levels of liability insurance. Proof of insurance must be provided.
● Must promote actual experiences or services being offered to the consumer.
● Must be in good standing with Tourism Assurance Plan’s complaints procedure.
Tourism Assurance Program (TAP) approval is not required to obtain a Tourism Establishment
Licence. Accommodations, Campgrounds and Outfitters who want a license but do not want
TAP approval must contact the Portal team to apply and renew for their license rather than use
the Portal.
Also see
www.hnl.ca/resources/categ
ory/tourism-assurance-plan/
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 8 of 68
Tourist Establishment Licence - Accommodations, Campgrounds and Outfitters Only Accommodations, Campgrounds and Outfitting Operators must meet the requirements for
Tourist Establishment Licence to operate. They will use the Portal to apply for new licences,
annually renew their Tourist Establishment Licence and submit their occupancy/annual
statistical reports.
Accommodations and Campgrounds: Licence renewal and business listings renewal begins
on April 1 and must be submitted by May 31 each year. No rate changes will be accepted once
submitted.
To complete your licence renewal for next year the following must be up-to-date by August 28:
1. Your occupancy records for the current year must be submitted up to and including July.
2. Your Canada Select / Camping Select file must be up to date.
Outfitters: Licence renewal and business listings renewal begins
November 1 and must be submitted by March 31 each year.
To complete your licence renewal for next year the following must
be up-to-date by March 31:
1. Your main lodge statistical records must be submitted for the current licencing year.
Occupancy Statistics Reporting
Accommodations, Campgrounds and Outfitters submit their occupancy/annual statistical reports
as a Tourist Establishment Licence requirement. The accumulated results from all operators is a
critical source of information on the trends, performance and the economic impact of the
Tourism Industry regionally and provincially.
Learn more
The following documents are available on the Department’s
website.
Roofed Accommodation Licencing Requirements
Campground Licencing Requirements
Outfitter Licencing Requirements
Occupancy Statistics Reporting Form – Accommodations and Campgrounds
Annual Statistics Reporting Form – Outfitters
More licencing information is
available on the Department’s
Tourist Establishment Licence
Requirements webpage.
For information on Canada
Select visit
https://www.tqanl.ca/quality-
programs/canada-select/
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 9 of 68
PREPARING TO USE THE PORTAL ● For the best user experience use a desktop or laptop rather than a mobile device or
tablet.
● Add NL Tourism email addresses to your contacts: You will be receiving important
email notifications from NL Tourism regularly, concerning deadlines, your account,
business listings, licence, statistical reporting, marketing opportunities, etc.
To ensure you do not miss an important deadline or announcement, add the following
email addresses to your email contact list so that these emails are delivered to your
inbox rather than your spam box.
● Bookmark NLTourismOperatorPortal.com for easy access to the Portal.
● Time out: For security purposes, your Portal session will time out after 30 minutes of
inactivity. Plan accordingly and hit the Save As button to save your progress.
● Be prepared: One business renewal can take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Please consider this when scheduling time to update your listing(s).
● For your business listings, have the following ready before you start:
○ latitude and longitude map coordinates of your business’ physical location in
decimal degrees. Useful websites to find your coordinates are getLatLong and
Google Maps.
○ descriptions of your business. Accommodations, campgrounds, attractions,
tours, events and shops have a 200-character Traveller’s Guide description and
a 500-character website description (includes spaces and punctuation).
Food & Beverage listings have a 500-character website description. Outfitters
have two 500-character website descriptions; one for angling and one for
hunting;
○ insurance agency and policy number;
○ contact information, social media and booking information for your business;
○ pricing information;
○ Building Accessibility Number from Service NL for building only (optional).
○ 5-images for each business. For their main camp listings, Outfitters can submit 5
images for their hunting listing and another 5 for their angling listing.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 10 of 68
● When applying for a new Tourism Establishment License, have the following
approvals ready (does not apply to Outfitting):
○ Fire and Life Safety Plan Review and Building Accessibility Registration from
Service NL;
○ Fire Inspection Approval;
○ Municipals Approval and/or Service NL Environmental Health Approval
○ Canada Select confirmation of inspection and fee payment;
● If purchasing an existing accommodation and campground, first contact the Portal
Team before applying online. A proof of purchase will be required with your application.
● To renew your Tourism Establishment License, your occupancy/annual statistics
must be up-to-date in the Portal.
● For your occupancy statistic reports see Occupancy
Reports section of this User Guide for instructions.
● For your travel offer/experience/package listings
have the following ready:
○ package title
○ 500-character description
○ one image
○ package locations
○ pricing
○ terms and conditions
○ contact and booking information
Also see
OCCUPANCY/STATISTICAL
REPORTS section (page 47)
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 11 of 68
CREATING AN ACCOUNT
New Owners of an Existing Licenced Business If you have purchased an existing licenced business, contact the Portal Team before applying
online. A proof of purchase will be required with your licenced application. The seller should also
contact the Portal Team to request a change of ownership.
Create a Portal Account New operators will need to create a Portal account. Visit www.NLTourismOperatorPortal.com
and click “Login/Register”. On the next page, click ‘Create an Account’.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 12 of 68
Create an account by entering your details. The account information you submit in this section is
for administrative purposes only and is not published in the Traveller’s Guide or on
Newfoundland Labrador Tourism websites. It will be used by Newfoundland and Labrador
Tourism and tourism partners such as Destination Management Organizations to contact you.
Click ‘Submit’.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 13 of 68
Verify your Email Once you submit your account Information, you will receive an email (from NLportal-
[email protected]) containing a verification code. Return to the Portal, click “Verify Your Email
Now’. Follow the instructions on the email and in the Portal to verify your account. Login and
click ‘Apply for a new Business Listing” and begin your application.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 14 of 68
Forgotten Password
To reset your password visit www.NLTourismOperatorPortal.com and click “Login/Register”. On
the next page, click ‘Forgot Password’. Once you enter the email for your account and then click
‘Submit’. You will receive an email (from [email protected]) containing a verification
code. Return to the Portal, click “Verify Your Email Now’. Follow the instructions on the email
and in the Portal to verify your account.
Add Off-Season Contact Information To ensure Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism will be able to contact you by phone or mail at
your secondary/off-season location, please return to the Account Information page once you
have finalized the Registration Process and submit the secondary/off-season phone number,
address and applicable dates in the appropriate fields or contact the Portal Team with your
information.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 15 of 68
PORTAL BASICS Below are some of the basic concepts and processes on the NL Tourism Operator Portal.
Operators should become familiar with them.
Navigation Bar Once you log-in to the Portal, the Home Page will display your existing business listing(s). You’ll
see navigation buttons to view your Account Information, History, Travel Offers; and add/apply
for a New Business listing.
When Updating and Renewing, the navigation will include the following selections:
Submit Occupancy, Licence Document Download, Update Location/Season and Support
Documents.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 16 of 68
Updating a Current Year Business Listing Scroll down to view the Current Year section and click ‘Update’ to edit your current online
listing(s) and/or submit occupancy reports (if required). You can update your business listing at
any time.
Please note current year business listing will appear online until:
o December 31 - attractions, tours, shops & galleries,
festivals & events, food & beverage listings
o September 30 - accommodations and campgrounds
o March 30 licence expiry date for outfitters.
Remember to make
edits/updates to both your
Current Year business listing and
you Renewal business listing.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 17 of 68
Renewing a Business Listing Each year, you must renew your business listing(s) whether you make changes or not.
Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters must also renew their Tourist Establishment
Licence. During the Annual Renewal, the Renewal Section will appear on the ‘Home’ page.
Scroll down and click the ‘Renew’ button to begin the renewal for your business listing.
Operators will be notified by email when the Renewal process opens.
When you can renew:
● Accommodation, campgrounds, attractions, tours, shops, festivals, events, food and
beverage establishments - renewal opens April 1 and closes May 31.
● Outfitters - renewal opens November 1 and closes March 31.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 18 of 68
Understanding Status and Actions on Homepage Existing businesses will see a complete listing of all their business listings on the Home Page.
Each business will have a Status and Action button.
Status:
● Renewal Incomplete: You have yet to finish the application to renew your business
listings (or Tourist Establishment Licence, if applicable).
● Renewal Approval Pending: You have submitted the application to renew your
business listings (or Tourist Establishment Licence, if applicable) but it has yet to be
approved by NLT.
● Active-TAP Approved: Your application has been approved. The listing will be
published in the Traveller’s Guide, if applicable and providing you have met the
deadlines. The listing will appear on NewfoundlandLabrador.com or one of the outfitting
websites at the appropriate time:
○ January 1 for attractions, tours, shops & galleries, festivals & events, food &
beverage
○ April 1 for outfitters
○ October 1 for accommodations and campgrounds
● Active – Non-TAP Approved: Your application has been reviewed and it has been
determined that the business does not meet the Tourism Assurance Program (TAP)
standards. For Accommodations, Campgrounds and Outfitters, your Tourist
Establishment Licence application has been approved but the business is not TAP
Approved. These business listings do not appear on NewfoundlandLabrador.com or the
outfitting websites.
● Application Incomplete: An incomplete application for a new business listing. You have
yet to submit to NLT for approval.
● Application Pending: An application for a new business listing has been submitted to
NLT but has not been approved yet.
● Expired: The expiry date depending upon your business type. Upon expiry, the listing
moves to the History section of the Portal:
○ December 31 – expiry date for attractions, tours, shops & galleries, festivals &
events, food & beverage listings
○ September 30 – licence expiry date for accommodations and campgrounds
○ March 30 – licence expiry date for outfitters.
Actions Buttons:
● Renew: Click to complete your renewal listing for the next season.
● Update: Click to update your business listing, licence application, images, and
occupancy reports.
● Continue: Continue to complete your submission. Your renewal, update or new
business application has not been submitted to the Portal Team.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 19 of 68
Submit Occupancy/Annual Reports Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters only. Before you renew your licence and
business listing(s) for “Next” year, you must submit past occupancy statistics. Depending on the
time of year, you will submit the report in the ‘Current Year’ or in the ‘History’ section.
Save for Later The ‘Save for Later’ button allows you to save your progress to come back later and finish and
submit your application. Required fields must be filled in before you can ‘Save for Later’. If you
do not have the information available, you can add ‘TBD’ to the required field (text fields only)
and click ‘Save for Later’. Do not submit your application until you have all the information for
those required fields. Your application will be returned to you for completion; and this will cause
unnecessary delays.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 20 of 68
Hints and Rules
Throughout the Portal you will see symbols and ‘Click here for instructions’ to indicate there
are hints or rules for certain fields. Click on those to view.
Examples:
Updating or Renewing More than one Business Listing If you have more than one business listing, each listing will require a renewal. After each
business has been renewed, return to ‘Home’ page and follow the same steps through the
Portal for all your business listings.
Do not use the Browser Back Button For the best user experience, use the “Back” button provided in the Portal
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 21 of 68
AT A GLANCE: HOW TO APPLY, RENEW AND UPDATE
Applying: New Businesses
Check that your Business is Eligible
Accommodations, campgrounds, attractions, tours, shops, events, food, beverage operations and outfitters located in Newfoundland and Labrador can apply for a business listings and Tourist Establishment Licence (accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters only) See ‘Requirements for Listings’ and ‘Categories and Product Definitions’ for eligibility. (Pages 6 and 57)
Create an Account and Verify Email on the NLTO Portal. Click “Login/Register’, then ‘Create an Account’. Follow the instructions to verify your account.
Enter Business Details
Login and click ‘Apply for a New Business listing’. On the next few screens, enter business details, descriptions, location, and extra information such as images and travel offers and experiences. New accommodations, campground and outfitters can upload their licence requirements documents.
See ‘Preparing to Use the Portal’ and ‘Applications Steps for Applying/Renewing and Editing’ (Pages 9 and 23)
Renewing: Existing Businesses
Login to Renew
You will be notified by email when the
renewal opens. You must renew annually.
Accommodation, campgrounds, tours, shops, festivals, food, beverage and attractions - renewal begins April 1 and ends May 31. Outfitters - renewal begins November 1 and ends March 31. .
Review your Business Details
During the Annual Renewal period, a renewal section will appear on the Home page. Scroll down and click ‘Renew” to the right of your business name. On several screens, you will review your business details, descriptions, location, and add extra information such as images and travel offers and experiences. Make edits where necessary for next year’s listing.
Enter Occupancy Statistics
Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters must enter their occupancy/annual statistics as a requirement to renew their licence. Use the Current Year Section of Home Page and/or the History section of the Portal to submit occupancy/annual reports for the current/previous year.
Approval The Portal Team will review your application. You will be notified through email when the business listings and licence (if applicable) has been approved. Depending upon your business type and you have met the publication deadline, your listings will appear online when approved and will appear in the next issue of the Traveller’s Guide.
Updating/ Editing your Website Listing Once your website listing is live, you can update it yourself at any time of year through the Portal.
Submit Occupancy/Annual Statistics Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters can enter their reports any time prior to the deadline.
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NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 22 of 68
RENEWING/RE-LICENCING Each year, you must use the NL Tourism Operator Portal to renew your business information to
continue inclusion in the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism marketing initiatives such as
business listings on the website(s) and/or in the Traveller’s Guide. Accommodation,
campground and outfitting operators must renew their business listing(s) and Tourist
Establishment licence(s).
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism will notify you via email ([email protected])
when the renewal process begins.
Deadlines Accommodation, campgrounds, attractions, tours, shops, festivals and events, and food and beverage establishments
Renewal opens April 1 and closes May 31
Outfitters Renewal opens November 1 and closes March 31
Tourist Establishment Licence - Renewal Requirements Accommodations and campgrounds: To complete your licence renewal for the next licencing
period (October 1 – September 30), the following must be up-to-date by August 28:
1. Your occupancy records for the current licencing period must be submitted up to and
including July.
2. Your Canada Select / Camping Select file must be up
to date.
Outfitters: To complete your licence renewal for the next
licencing period (April 1- March 31), the following must be up-to-date by March 31:
1. Your main lodge annual statistical reports must be submitted for the current licencing period.
Operating without a licence and failure to submit occupancy/statistical reports will prohibit your
business from participating in marketing opportunities with Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism
including free published business listings. Unlicensed outfitters risk nullifying the lodge’s Crown
Land Leases/Licence and eliminates your ability to receive non-resident big game licences (if
applicable).
For information on Canada
Select visit
https://www.tqanl.ca/quality-
programs/canada-select/.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 23 of 68
APPLICATION STEPS FOR APPLYING/RENEWING AND UPDATING From the home page you can (1) apply for a new businesses listing/licence; (2) renew your
listing/licence for next year; (3) edit a current listing. The steps are basically the same.
New applicants will select ‘Add a New Business Listing’ from the top navigation. Existing
businesses wishing to edit their business listing will scroll down the Home page and select
‘Update’. Businesses renewing, will scroll down the Home page and select ‘Renew’.
Once you begin the process, a series of pages will
allow you to add/edit the necessary information for
your business listing and, if applicable, your licence
application. Follow the steps and make changes as
necessary. The exact information will differ slightly
depending on what type of business you operate.
(1)
(2)
(3)
See HELPFUL HINTS WHEN
WRITING BUSINESS LISTINGS
(page 52) and EXAMPLES OF
DESCRIPTIONS (page 54) before
you begin your application.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 24 of 68
New Business - Select Business Category When applying for a new business listing, you will first select
and then confirm your business category.
Also see CATEGORY AND
PRODUCT DEFINITIONS (page
57) to determine your business
category and your products.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 25 of 68
Descriptions Traveller’s Guide Description: for accommodations,
campgrounds, attractions, tours, shops, festivals and
events only.
This description will help form a traveller’s initial impression of your business. You’re limited to
200 characters, which is just a couple of sentences, so be sure to make them count. Focus on
what makes your business unique and appealing. Include the most attractive and interesting
highlights to encourage travellers to contact you. Here, you should include the top one or two
things that will make someone excited to book with you.
Website Description: for accommodations, campgrounds, attractions, tours, shops, festivals
and events, food and beverage establishments and outfitters.
In addition to the highlights included in your short
(Traveller’s Guide) description, you should include other
top-selling features. If there’s a popular tourist attraction
nearby, like a museum, hiking trail, or the ocean, include it
here. You may want to include a quick note about distance
from an airport or ferry, any recent awards; or information
about the surrounding area.
Also see EXAMPLES OF
DESCRIPTIONS (page 54) for
inspiration.
Do not include the business name,
location, season dates or contact
information in your description. There
are other sections of the application for
that information.
NL TOURISM OPERATOR PORTAL USER GUIDE Page 26 of 68
Location and Season Dates When adding a new business, the Location and Season page will appear automatically.
When renewing a listing, you must click “Edit” to review the location and/season dates before
you can click the “Continue” button.
When updating a business listing, click “Update Location/Season” in the top navigation bar to
make edits.
Physical Location: Enter the physical location of your business. Do not include mailing
address information.
Latitude and Longitude: Enter the map coordinates of your business in decimal degrees (eg.
Latitude: 47.583578, Longitude: -52.723787). This allows travellers to find your business using
the map and direction functions online. Useful websites to find your coordinates are getLatLong
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and Google Maps. On Google Maps search for the location of your business. Right click the
location, select “What’s here?” and an info card will appear with the map coordinates.
Season Date Information: Enter your Open From and Open
To dates, followed by the Season Summary. Only the Season
Summary will be published in the Traveller’s Guide and on
NewfoundlandLabrador.com. The Season Summary should
be in the following format: Jan 1-Dec 31. Do not include the year. Exception: Festival and
events must include the year.
Multiple Locations and Season Dates: Attractions, tours, shops, festivals and events, and
food and beverage operators can add multiple locations and multiple seasons on this screen.
Festival and events are encouraged to add future dates too. Additional seasons can be added
to the one location.
Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters cannot add multiple locations on this screen as
each location requires a Tourist Establishment Licence.
If you have unconfirmed event dates before the Traveller’s Deadline on May 31, enter your Season Summary as TBD. Example: July TBD. Your Open From date would be July 1 and your Open To date would be July 31.
Once your date is confirmed, make sure return to the Portal to update your dates to ensure users on NewfoundlandLabrador.com find you when searching for events happening on a particular date.
Festivals and Events are
encourage to add current year
and future dates.
Hint for Festivals and
Events operators with
unconfirmed event dates.
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General Business Information
The business information you supply in the next sections is published either in print and/or
online and may be used for other marketing purposes. Travellers will use this information to plan
their visit to Newfoundland and Labrador. For help with completing any fields on this screen,
please refer to the User Guide and click for important information on formatting and data rules.
Owner name: Returning businesses, to edit the Owner Name below, please contact the Portal
Team to request a change the ownership. Owner name is not published.
Phone Numbers: Enter a valid 10-digit phone number in the following format 7095551234. Do
not use spaces, hyphens or brackets.
Primary Phone Number and Toll-Free Number: To be Tourism Assurance Program (TAP)
approved, you must provide a primary phone or a toll free number.
Email: To be Tourism Assurance Program (TAP) approved,
you must provide an email address. Ensure this email
address is for public use. Format: KirbysB&[email protected].
Use an email address that is
for public use and not a
personal email address.
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Online and Social Media The following fields require you to enter the URLs or website address which can be found in
your browser's address bar and can be copied on this form. To have Tourism Assurance
Program approval, you must provide a website or a Facebook business page; and an email
address.
Website: Entering your website, places a “Visit Website” button on your website listing to drive
visitors to your website, giving them access to more information about your business and a
means of contacting you to book directly.
Facebook Business Page: Facebook group or community or profile pages are not acceptable.
Social Media Links: Tourism operators can engage with visitors by listing their social media
channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blog, Instagram) within their business listing.
Twitter – Add the URL for your Twitter account. @ handles are not acceptable.
Online Reservations System: Businesses that have online reservations can add a “Book
Online” button to their website listing. It gives customers a direct link to your reservation system.
Whether you have a booking component on your website or you use an external booking agent
such as Booking.com, this is what most travellers are looking for today. Online forms that send
availability requests and do not take a payment are not acceptable.
Review Site – Add the URL for your business page on TripAdvisor or Yelp for example.
Content on review sites like TripAdvisor can have considerable impact on visitor traffic and
conversions. Even if you have not set up a business listing on TripAdvisor, there may already be
a listing there for you.
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Rates Enter your minimum and maximum rates and a rate summary. Keep the summary simple. If
your rates are complicated and vary often throughout the year, enter the rates for the high
season only and include the line “see website or call for fall & winter rates” in the Rate Summary
field. Businesses that do not charge a fee must enter “0” in the minimum and maximize rate
fields. Only the Rate Summary field will be published in the Traveller’s Guide and on
NewfoundlandLabrador.com.
Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters have restrictions on when they can change
their rates. Please note that rates cannot be changed once filed, until the expiry of the licence,
as per the Tourist Establishment Regulations under the Tourist Establishments Act.
Food and beverage operators can select from the dropdown menu to indicate applicable rate
options. Rate represents the approximate cost per person for a meal, include one drink, tax and
tip. $ - inexpensive (under $10), $$ moderate ($11-30) $$$ Pricey ($31-60) $$$$ Ultra High-
End (over $61). This is the same scale used on the popular restaurant website Yelp.
Electronic Payment To have Tourism Assurance Program approval, you must accept at least one form of electronic
payment.
Attractions, tours, festivals and events, and food and beverage operators that charge less
than $10 are exempt.
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Capacity Description Accommodation: brief description of the Number of Rooms/Units. Eg. 13 rooms and 4 cottages
Campgrounds: brief description of the sites. 10 Full services sites, 34 unserviced sites
Outfitters: number of guests you are able to accommodate in each facility
Festivals and Events: number of attendees
Tours: number of passengers/guests
Attractions: your maximum capacity (if applicable).
Restaurants: number of seats.
Not required for Shops and Galleries.
Insurance To have Tourism Assurance Program approval, you must have insurance for your business.
This information is for office use only and is not published on any website or Traveller’s Guide.
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Accessibility (optional) For businesses with buildings only. Service NL
grants Business Accessibility (BA) numbers to
buildings that comply with the Buildings Accessibility
Act and Regulations, and Exempt
Accessibility (EA) numbers to building that are
exempt from the regulations. Your BA # is required to
have the wheelchair amenity in your business listing
on the website(s) and the symbol in the Traveller’s Guide.
Products New Businesses: Products identify your type of
business. Select the products that complete the
statement “My business is a…” By selecting the
products available at your business, you ensure that
potential visitors searching
NewfoundlandLabrador.com for a specific type of
product will find you.
Accommodations and campgrounds operators: your business category is determined by
Canada Select during your inspection.
Outfitters products: By selecting the species available at your lodge, you ensure that potential
hunters and anglers searching the outfitting website for a specific species will find you. Hunting
species are predetermined by licences, with the exception of small game.
Change your products during renewal or updates: Attractions, festivals and events, tours,
shops and food and beverage to request changes, please review the Category and Products
Definitions section in this User Guide and email [email protected] with
your request. The Portal Team will review your request and apply the update if appropriate.
Adding the accessible symbol to your
listings is optional. Do not delay
submitting your application if you are
unsure of your BA#. Simply select no and
continue submitting your application. You
can return to the Portal later when you
have the information.
Also see CATEGORY AND
PRODUCT DEFINITIONS (page
57) to determine your business’
products.
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Amenities Amenities are business facilities and services that are available on site at your business, not the
surrounding area. By selecting the amenities available at your business, you ensure that
potential visitors searching NewfoundlandLabrador.com and outfitting websites, for a specific
type of amenity will find you.
Amenity - No Pets Allowed (Service Animals Welcome)
While your business may have a “No Pets Policy”,
remember service animals are not pets. Service
animals are trained to do a specific job related to a
person’s disability. In Newfoundland and
Labrador, the Service Animal Act ensures a
person with a service animal has equal access to
accommodations, services or facilities. Support Documents.
Support Documents Support documents include any document/form needed to support your application or renewal.
For example: new accommodations and campgrounds must submit their municipal and Service
NL approvals for fire and safety to support their Tourism Establishment licence application.
Operators purchasing a licenced property must submit a proof of purchase.
If you have no documents to add to your application, click “Continue” to go to the next page.
Also see the Service Animals Information
Sheet at https://www.tqanl.ca/wp-
content/uploads/Service-Animal-
Information-Sheet.pdf
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Images Get travellers excited about your business by adding five images to your listing. Give them
another reason to choose your business by showing off your food, decor, facilities, and
experiences – anything that sets you apart from the competition.
Each business can submit up to 5 images. Your main image should be one which best sells
your business. This image will appear in the search
results page and encourage users to click through
to your full business listing. It is also the first image
visitors see when they get there. The remaining
images will display in a gallery on your page. All
images should have captions.
Requirements:
Submit only full colour photographs. Do not submit logos, black and white images,
collages and images with watermarks/text.
Select large, high quality images. Maximum file size should be 3 MB. Pixel dimensions
must be at least 2000 x 1200. Uncropped images from most modern cell phones will be
in this range.
Choose Images that have a wide crop, and
landscape oriented (wider instead of taller)
Try to have the main subject centred in the
photo and not too close up.
Email programs will often reduce image
sizes to make emailing easier. Make sure you are using the original, highest quality
version of any image.
Legal: By posting images to your business listing on NewfoundlandLabrador.com or the outfitter
websites, you are confirming that the images are your property, that you/the business have the
rights to these images. You are also granting copyright permission to Newfoundland and
Labrador Tourism and certain third parties as part of the marketing efforts to promote
Newfoundland and Labrador as a tourism destination.
Approval: Your submitted images will be reviewed within a few days and published online once
approved. You will be notified of any that are rejected.
Outfitters can submit 5 images for
their hunting main lodge listing and
another 5 images for their angling main
lodge listing.
Logos, black and white images,
collages and images with
watermarks/text are not permitted and
will be rejected.
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Remember to make image
edits/updates to both your Current
Year business listing and your
Renewal business listing.
Upload a New Image: On the Home page, locate the business from the “Current Year Updates”
listings or the Renewal for next year” listings, then click “Update”. You may need to add images
to both “Current” year and “Renewal” year. If the Renewal Period is closed, you will only see the
Current year listing on the Home page.
Once the business listing opens you will click “Update Images” on the right of the blue
navigation located at the top of the page.
Click ‘Choose File” to upload an image file directly from your computer.
Browse to the image location on your computer and click ‘Open’. You will return to the Portal
where you will click ‘Add New Image’.
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The Image Editor will open. Follow the instructions to adjust your image. Add a caption and click
‘Save’ when you have finished.
Try to have the main subject centred in
the photo and not too close up.
Choose images that have a wide crop,
and landscape oriented (wider instead
of taller
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Continue adding the remaining five images.
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Submit Your Application By submitting this application, you certify that the statements made in the foregoing application
are, to the best of your knowledge, true and correct; that you have signing power for the above
noted business; the business has the necessary licences and permits required by law to operate
in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and that all municipal, provincial and federal
laws applicable to the business will be observed.
An email will be sent to the account email address when your request is processed, or if
additional information is required.
All applications will be reviewed individually to ensure each business listing meets all
requirements. New and updated listings should appear online with a few business days, and the
next publication issue of the Traveller's Guide, if applicable, and provided you have met the May
31 deadline. Renewed listings will appear online January 1 for attractions, tours, shops, festivals
and events, and food and beverage establishments; October 1 for accommodations and
campgrounds; April 1 for outfitters.
Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitters will receive a notification via email that your
Tourist Establishment Licence has been approved. Login to the Portal to print your licence.
Owners of Multiple Businesses/Licences: You must renew all your businesses each year,
whether you make changes or not. Return to the Home page to ensure all your businesses have been renewed.
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HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR LICENCING APPROVAL DOCUMENTS From the Home page, scroll down to ‘Current” section and click “Update’ to the right of the
business. On the next page click ‘Support Document’. Follow the instructions to upload and
submit.
HOW TO PRINT YOUR LICENCE From the Home page, scroll down to ‘Current” section and click “Update’ to the right of the
business. On the next page click ‘Licence Document Download’. Follow the instructions to print.
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TRAVEL OFFERS, PACKAGES AND EXPERIENCES Travel Offers, Packages and Experiences are travel
experiences and tours where travellers immerse
themselves in the local culture and participate
whenever and wherever they can.
From the Home page, click ‘Travel Offers.
From this page you can:
Add a New Travel Offer: Click the “Add a New Travel Offer” button above. You can also create a new package by coping an existing or expired package. Scroll down to find the package and click “Copy”
Edit an existing Travel Offer: Scroll down view your Existing Offers and click Update.
Your offer will go live once approved and will be automatically removed from the website(s) once the valid dates have passed.
See the criteria in Travel Offers,
Packages and Experiences –
Definitions & Criteria (page 66)
before submitting.
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Select and confirm your Travel Offer type by clicking one of the selections.
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On the next few pages, enter the details of your package, add one image, then and submit.
Your submission will be reviewed within a few days and published online once approved. You
will be notified via email if there is any further information required, or if the submission has
been rejected.
Enter Name of the offer (64 characters maximum) and Description (500 characters
maximum)
Conditions include all that may apply. E.g. black-out dates, off-season vs. peak rates, second
night rates, upgrades, etc.
Note: The following disclaimer applies to all offers. Any repeated information will be removed:
"Offers are subject to availability. Additional taxes may apply. You may have to pre-book and/or mention the promotion at the time of booking. Please check with the operator for more details."
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Add Applicable Businesses: Add your business(s) and any partners (if applicable). This will
ensure that the offer will be displayed on the business listing page for each business you own
as well your partner’s business listing page(s).
Select communities: Select all the communities included in the offer. This will help website
users find your package when searching NewfoundlandLabrador.com by place. And it will also
place your offer on any Top Destination pages you have selected.
General Information: Enter your contact information and relevant websites that an interested
traveller will use to find more information and book the offer.
Link to Book this Package Online: Enter your online reservation system or your page on
Booking.com for example. Must give users the ability to purchase this package directly.
Company Name: 128 characters maximum. If there is room, you could include your partner
business names as well.
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Enter Prices and select one of the qualifying options: per person, per couple, per family, per
package, per night, for two nights, CDN or USD. If you have any additional price qualifiers or
your qualifier is not listed, please place it/them in the conditions box below. Only one price point
is permitted in each placement.
Multi-Day, Number of Days, Includes Overnight: will determine where your offer will appear
in the Itinerary Planner on NewfoundlandLabrador.com.
Enter Valid From and To Dates – once approved, your offer will go live on the website(s). It
will be removed when the end date has expired.
Enter Package Categories – categories will ensure your package appears in the appropriate
‘Things to do’ section on NewfoundlandLabrador.com or Species pages on the outfitting
websites. These categories are also used by website users to filter the travel offer/package
search results to find exactly the type of experience they are seeking.
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Upload an image from your computer that represents the experience a traveller will have. Click
‘Choose File’ and browse for an image file from your computer. Return to the Portal and click
‘Submit’. Adjust your image in the Image Editor. Click
‘Save’ when finished and on the next page click
‘Continue’.
See Images requirements (page
34) for criteria and helpful hints.
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Submit your travel offer. Review your offer summary carefully. The offer will be reviewed by
the Portal Team within 5 business days. You will be notified by email if more information is
required. Once the offer is approved, it will be displayed on the website(s). Your travel offer will
stay on the website until the valid dates have passed.
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OCCUPANCY/STATISTICAL REPORTS
In accordance with Tourist Establishment Regulations, accommodations and campground
operators are required to submit monthly statistical summaries and outfitters are required to
submit annual reports.
All personal information collected or provided will be treated confidentially, in accordance with
the provisions of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador. It can only be shared with others with your written consent.
All information collected is used in summary form only, to provide occupancy levels, average
daily rates and revenue for different accommodation and outfitting types and for different areas
of the province.
Accommodations, campgrounds and outfitting operators are expected to use the Portal to file
their occupancy/statistical reports online. Filing your report online is a simple and quick process.
Failure to submit an accurate report could subject an operator to a loss of licence.
Accommodations and Campground Instructions The date you are entering the occupancy reports will determine what section of the Portal you
will enter the reports:
From January 1 to September 30, you will use the Current Year section of the Portal.
From October 1 to December 31, you will use the History section.
January 1 to September 30 – Use the Current Year Folder
When entering occupancy reports before October 1, you should scroll down to view the Current
Year section of the Home Page and click “Update” to open the current year folder.
From the top navigation bar click “Submit Occupancy”. You will be presented with a list of
months for which occupancy reports are required.
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October 1 to December 31 – Use the History Folder
On October 1, all accommodations and campgrounds operators enter a new licencing period.
Therefore, you will need to go to the “History” section of the Portal in order to enter any
outstanding monthly occupancy reports for October, November and December.
Once on the History page, click “Details”. Once on the Details page click “Submit Occupancy”
button in the navigation bar. You will be presented with a list of months for which occupancy
reports are required.
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Entering Your Reports – Licenced Tourism Businesses
The information you previously submitted for your Open and Closed dates is used to pre-
populate the months your business is closed and opened. Begin updating by clicking “Add a
Report followed by ‘Open’ in the property status line.
Enter the information related to Number of Nights, Number of Rooms/Units/Sites Available, Sold
and Revenue. After entering the required data, click the acknowledgment box and the “Submit
Your Update” button.
Add other monthly occupancy reports as necessary for this property. If you are finished
entering your occupancy reports for your property, click “Back”, followed by the “Back to Home”
button to logout or select your next licenced property on the Home page, if applicable.
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Occupancy Report Definitions
Property Status: The information you previously submitted for your Open and Closed dates is
used to pre-populate the months your business is closed and opened.
Number of Nights Open: Please indicate the number of nights the property was operating
during the reporting month.
Number of Rooms, Units (for cottages or vacation homes) or Sites: This is the total
number of rooms, units (for cottages or vacation homes) or sites available for rent during the
reporting month.
Number of Room-Nights, Unit-Nights or Site-Nights Sold: Add together the number of
rooms, units or sites sold for each day of the reporting month.
Revenue from Room, Unit or Site Sales: Amount of money (including tax) received for the
renting of rooms, units or sites during the reporting month.
Number of Room-Nights Unit-Nights or Site-Nights Available: This is the total number of
rooms, units or sites available for rent during the reporting month multiplied by the number of
nights you were operating during the month. This will be automatically calculated by the Portal-
no need to enter any values.
Occupancy Rate and Average Daily Rate: This is calculated and presented by the Portal to
help you verify your entries. This will be automatically calculated by the Portal- no need to enter
any values.
If you have any questions or require further assistance with filing online, please contact the
Tourism Research Division at 709-729-3889 or [email protected].
Outfitter Instructions Which annual occupancy report you are submitting, will determine what section of the Portal you
will enter your reports. To enter reports for the most recent year, scroll down on the Home Page
to view the Current Year section and click “Update” to submit. Older occupancy reports, you will
need to go to the “History” section of the Portal.
Recent Reports – Use the Current Year Section
From the top navigation bar click “Submit Occupancy”.
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Older Reports – Use History Section
Once on the History page, click “Details”.
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Entering Your Reports – Licenced Outfitters
Enter your occupancy and revenue details for the year and submit.
If Outfitters have any questions or require further assistance with filing online, please contact
Paula Devereaux at 709-729-6857 or [email protected]
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HELPFUL HINTS WHEN WRITING BUSINESS LISTINGS Short and to the Point: Keep the language simple and to the point, but use full sentences.
Key Words: include keywords in your description as they feed into results from a search engine
like Google and through the NewfoundlandLabrador.com search function. It’s important that to
use words that best fit your business. e.g., icebergs, whales, hiking.
Inspiration – What are your clients saying about you? You might consider their reviews as
possible content to include in your listing. Customers often rave about what impressed them the
most.
Competition: Read your competitors’ descriptions - see what they focus on in their listings.
Also, check out what their customers are saying about them on review sites such as
TripAdvisor.
Don’t shout: CAPITAL LETTERS are the equivalent of SHOUTING and can put potential
visitors off.
Be contactable: make sure your contact details are up to date. If you change your email
address or phone number, remember to update your listing in the Portal.
Be social: including links to your social media channels give visitors more information and
additional means of informal communication with you.
Location, location, location: Ensure your listing has the accurate latitude and longitude co-
ordinates so that your business appears correctly on map and directions searches. This is
especially crucial for mobile device users.
Keep your information up to date: Remember, enter your dates as soon as you have them.
This is especially important for Festivals and Events. You may have submitted your renewal
before your dates are confirmed for the next season. Travellers on the ground are searching for
what to do today. If your dates are incorrect or listed as TBA, you may be missing out.
Senior friendly: Senior’s discounts and easy access for seniors are some of the top questions
asked by travellers.
Tourism in Your Community: Keep an eye on the travel generators in your community. If you
depend upon a major attraction or event to bring in customers, make sure their business listing
is effective. Work with them to ensure it is working hard to bring people into your community.
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EXAMPLES OF DESCRIPTIONS Accommodations: Traveller’s Guide Description: #1 accommodation on TripAdvisor for
area. Historic, waterfront home with modern comforts and original charm. Near boat tours,
World Heritage Site & award-winning restaurant. Airport nearby.
Accommodations: Website Description: Renovated historic home with original charm and an
ocean view, we are the top accommodation on TripAdvisor for Kirbyville. Conveniently located
for exploring the coastline. Visit coastal communities and trails, go whale and iceberg watching,
drop by the specialty stores and waterfront. Spend the day at the nearby World Heritage site
and then dine at the 2020 TripAdvisor top restaurant. The airport is only 45 minutes away.
Attractions: Traveller’s Guide Description: The 3km trail is a wooded and coastal trail. Along
this looped trail, you will see seabirds and sea stacks. At the harbour front, stop for a yarn with
local fisherman. Easy to Moderate difficulty.
Attractions: Website Description: The 3km trail is a mix of wooded areas and coastline. This
trail is considered easy to moderate difficulty. Along this looped trail, you will see whales,
seabirds and unique sea stacks formations. At the harbour front, stop for a yarn with local
fishermen. The lookout at the top has a bench and offers views of Kirby Island, a storm petrel
nesting ground. Kirby's Cafe, located near the trail head, offers hiking picnics and post-Hike and
Dine specials. Pre-order and reservations are suggested.
Tours: Traveller’s Guide Description: See a triple treat of icebergs, whales, and seabirds on
a 2-hour tour aboard the 30-passenger Seaborne Adventure as it cruises the bay with
experienced guides. Our vessel has a washroom and heated cabin.
Tours: Website Description: The coast of Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the few
places where you can see whales, icebergs, and seabirds at the same time. Take a 2-hour tour
of the bay on the Seaborne Adventure. Humpbacks and minkes are the whales most often
seen. The humpbacks are as curious about us as we are about them, and they often entertain
with breaches and blows. The icebergs are 10,000-year-old chunks of ice from Greenland’s
glaciers. And the seabirds are among the 35 million that nest here every year.
Shops & Galleries: Traveller’s Guide Description: All of our crafts are handmade by local
artisans and craftspeople. We have everything from clothing to art to pottery to jam, and most
use traditional motifs and methods specific to this area.
Shops & Galleries: Website Description: Tradition never goes out of fashion. Drop by and
see our collection of mittens and scarves knit by local women following traditional patterns
handed down from their grandmothers. The wool is carded from local sheep and spun using an
old-fashioned foot loom. Our jams are made from berries picked right here along the pristine
coastline. The artwork is inspired by local scenery, and the clay for the pots is collected from a
secret location just up the coast.
Events: Traveller’s Guide Description: Celebrate at a garden party that’s been held the first
Sunday in August for over 100 years. Play games, listen to traditional music, and enjoy the
turkey tea served by members of the Heritage Society.
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Events: Website Description: Queen Victoria was still on the throne when Kirbytown held its
first garden party, and it’s been going strong even since. We value our heritage and salute our
ancestors. Why, even some of the tunes played at that first garden party can be heard today,
and some of the Heritage Society members will dress in old-fashioned outfits for the occasion.
There will be games of chance and old-time children’s games in Murphy’s Meadow. The
traditional turkey tea will be served at 4pm.
Campgrounds: Traveller’s Guide Description: Wake up in the morning to songbirds, walk the
trail to the falls, and climb Tor Hill for a view of the countryside. There’s a horseshoe tournament
every day, and each campsite overlooks the pond.
Campgrounds: Website Description: Swyers Pond has been welcoming campers for 50
years, and over that time we’ve added amenities to make your stay more comfortable and
relaxing. This is a great place for families to experience nature at its finest – and have some fun,
too. Each campsite is secluded and all are connected by the central walking trail. Our water
park is 5-minute walk from the nearest campsite, ensuring fun and quiet are separated. Tip:
reserve your picnic spot and your basket when you register.
Food and Beverage: Website Description: Our menu takes local favourites like fish and
chips, fish cakes, codfish, scallops, lobster, mussels, moose and berries, and give them a new
creative twist using only the best our land and sea have to offer. Fresh seasonal ingredients are
sourced from local farmers, brewmasters, berry pickers, gathers and fishermen. As you dine,
enjoy the activity on the harbourfront as fishermen land today’s catch, tour boats and pleasure
crafts head out to view whales, icebergs and the sunset.
Outfitters: Website Description: Here at Kirby’s Outfitters and Lodge, hunting is our passion.
Selected as one of Canada’s 17 best "Classic Fishing Lodges", our camp offers remarkable
access to Atlantic Salmon Fishing, as well as Moose and Black Bear hunting. Accessible only
by river boat, Kirby’s Outfitters and Lodge is located in one of Canada’s most remote wilderness
areas. We offer 6 day all-inclusive hunting and fishing adventures, corporate getaways, and
custom packages.
FAQs
What happens if I don’t update my listing annually? There is an annual renewal process for
business listings and Tourist Establishment Licences. All listings must be submitted every year.
You must renew regardless if there are changes or not. If we do not receive your renewal
application your listing will not appear in the Traveller’s Guide and online listings will be
removed at the end of the current year. And if applicable, your Tourist Establishment Licence,
which is required to operate, will not be renewed.
How much does it cost to register and create my business and/or package listing? Both
business listings and packages are free.
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Who can list their tourism business in the Portal? Tourism businesses must be located in
Newfoundland and Labrador. Meet the requirements for listings and offer a tourism experience
in one of the following categories:
■ Accommodations
■ Campgrounds
■ Attractions
■ Events
■ Tours
■ Shops & Galleries
■ Food and Beverage Establishments
■ Hunting and Fishing Outfitters
Can I update my listing at any time? You can update your online listing at any time. It’s
important to provide traveller’s with the most up-to-date and relevant information. This can
include refreshing your description, adding or updating images, or adding new social media
links. Accommodations, Campgrounds and Outfitters have restrictions on when they can
change their rates. Please note that rates cannot be changed once filed until the expiry of the
licence, as per the Tourist Establishment Regulations under the Tourist Establishments Act.
When can I expect to see my online listing to go live? When you apply for a new business
listing or edit a current website listing, the Portal Team will review your application/edits and
apply these updates; or contact you if further clarification is required. If no further information is
required, the listing can be published online within a couple of business days. When renewing
your application for the following year, changes will go live online in January.
How do I login if I have forgotten my password? Use the forgotten password button within
the Portal or contact Portal Team at 709-729-5599 or email
How do I remove my listing? Contact Portal Team at 709-729-5599 or email
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CATEGORY AND PRODUCT DEFINITIONS
Accommodations Any establishment that provides shelter and overnight accommodation to travellers.
Criteria for inclusion: Fixed roof accommodations inspected and graded by the Canada Select
Grading Authority, having a grade of at least one star, paid their fee and licenced by the
provincial government.
Products: Canada Select will determine your product during inspection.
Product Product
Apartment Inn
Bed & Breakfast Resort
Cottage Suite
Hostel/University Tourist Home
Hotel/Motel Vacation Home
Parks and Campgrounds A place where tents, mobile vehicles, or other temporary shelters are set up, by travelers for
overnight accommodation and recreation.
Criteria for Inclusion: Temporary accommodation in divided lots for mobile vehicle or tent
inspected and graded by the Canada Select Grading Authority, having a grade of at least one
star and therefore licenced by the provincial government.
Hint: Park and Campground businesses with a beach day-use area are encouraged to apply for
an attraction listing.
Products: Canada Select will determine your product during inspection.
Product
Camping – Municipal Park
Camping – National Park
Camping – Private Park
Camping – Provincial Park
Glamping
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Attractions Permanent structure or facilities of specific interest to travellers, offering services, entertainment
or activities.
Criteria for Inclusion:
● Travel generator for province or region
● Must be a tourism operation
● Must be client/visitor focused
● Opened Daily (exclude any that are by appointment only)
● Monuments of provincial, national or international significance (eg. Silent Witness)
● Includes public Galleries and Studios
Hint: Products identify your type of business. Select the products that complete the statement
“My business is a…” By selecting the products available at your business, you ensure that
potential visitors searching the online listings for a specific type of product will find you.
Be focused when making your product selection and be aware that they may actually be an
amenity, not a product. For example, your business is a museum with a short stroll around the
property. Select the “Museum / Cultural / Historical Attraction” but do not select “Hiking and
Walking Trail”.
Only full service spas located in accommodations are accepted. Day Spas are not accept.
Hint: A winery, brewery or distillery operator may apply for a listing as an Attraction (which will
appear in the annual Traveller’s Guide) and a Food & Beverage listing (which will not appear in
the Traveller’s Guide).
Food & Beverage events can apply for a Festival & Events listing (e.g. Dinner Theatre, Food
Festival & Show) which will appear in the annual Traveller’s Guide
Specialty food operators can apply for a Shops & Galleries listings (e.g. Chocolate Shop or Ice
Cream Shop) which will also appear in the annual Traveller’s Guide.
Category Product
Family, Health & Recreation Attractions ATV Trail
Family Amusement Attraction
Farms/Farmers Market
Fishing
Golf
Marina
Science Centre
Spa
Historical & Cultural Attractions Archaeological Site
Art Galleries & Mural
Cultural Experience*
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Indigenous Attraction
Lighthouse
Museum / Cultural / Historical Attraction
National Historic Site
Provincial Historic Site
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Hiking & Walking Trails Hiking and Walking Trail
Back Country Hike
Coastal Trail
Town and City Trek
Trails in National and Provincial Park
Parks, Gardens & Natural Attractions Beach
Bird Watching Attraction
Ecological Reserve
Geology and Fossil Site
Garden/Community Park
Lookout/Viewing Point
National Park
Provincial Park
Natural Attraction
Winter Attractions Cross-Country/Snowshoeing Trail
Skiing/Snowboarding
Snowmobile Trail
* Cultural Experiences provide a hand-on participatory cultural experience.
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Festivals and Events Definition: One-time or recurring concert, festival, exhibition or fair with a fixed start and end
date, that is open to and of interest to travelling public. Trade shows, conventions, workshops,
local sporting and community events not associated with a tourism event and targeted solely to
local residents (ie. reunions, ceremonies, charity walks) are not included.
Performance Venue: Theatres and music venues that regularly host performances such as live
theatre and music sessions (e.g. dinner theatres and arts & entertainment centres). They will
not list their entertainment listings as their own website typically features their regular
entertainment programs. The venue must have a well-maintained website listing the current
shows and ticket prices.
Hint: If you have an amazing cultural experience that offers unique interaction with the
participants, then consider adding a listing to the Travel Offers section of
NewfoundlandLabrador.com by adding a Travel Offer/Experience/Package Listing.
Hint: Products identify your type of event. Select the products that complete the statement “My
event is a…” By selecting the products available at your event, you ensure that potential visitors
searching the online listings for a specific type of event will find you.
Hint: Food & Beverage events can apply for a Festival & Events listing (e.g. Dinner Theatre,
Food Festival & Show) which will appear in the annual Traveller’s Guide
Product Product
Community Celebration Music/Performing Arts
Cultural Experience Performance Venue
Exhibit or Fair Sport/Recreation Event
Food /Beverage Event Winter Festival or Event
Historical & Cultural Event Arts & Crafts
Indigenous Event
* Cultural Experiences provide a hand-on participatory cultural experience.
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Tours Definition: A business that offers pre-arranged activity trips to one or more places and back to
the point of origin.
Also includes In-bound Province Wide Tourism Operators that are based in Newfoundland and
Labrador. They are companies that contract/sub-contract with suppliers to create and/or market
a multi-day tour. They promote and sell that package for an all-inclusive price.
Criteria for Inclusion:
● Operated within a Newfoundland and Labrador region
● Scheduled daily or multi day departures
● Does not include tours of attractions eg: Tours of a historic site offered by onsite
interpreters.
Hint: Besides applying for a tour business listing, your business is encouraged to list your
individual tours to the Travel Offers section of NewfoundlandLabrador.com by adding a Travel
Offer, Package or Experience Listing.
Hint: Products identify your type of tour. Select the products that complete the statement “I offer
the following types of tours…” By selecting the products available, you ensure that potential
visitors searching the online listings for a specific type of tour will find you.
Category Product Category Product
Adventure Tours
Angling Tour Touring Product Day Tour
ATV Tour Multi-day Tour
Biking Tour RV Tour
Bird Watching Tour Winter Tours Winter Tour
Boat Tour Cross Country Skiing Tour
Caving Tour Downhill Skiing Tour
Climbing Tour Snowshoeing Tour
Diving/Snorkeling Snowmobiling Tour
Hiking and Walking Tour Cultural Experience Cultural Experience
Horse Back Riding Tour Indigenous Tour
Iceberg Watching Tour
Kayaking/Canoeing
Ocean Fishing
Rafting
Whale Watching Tour
Zip Lining Tour
* Cultural Experiences provide a hand-on participatory cultural experience.
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Shopping Retail outlets feature mainly crafts, antiques, hand-make clothing, specialty foods; commercial &
craft galleries; craft studios.
Criteria for Inclusion:
Newfoundland and Labrador based craft shops, galleries and studios that retail 50% or more
Newfoundland and Labrador produced products and are recognized by the Newfoundland and
Labrador Craft Council and the Department’s Craft Division.
Hint: Besides applying for a shop business listing, your business is encouraged to list any
experiences offered at your shop to the Travel Offers section of NewfoundlandLabrador.com by
adding a Travel Offer, Package or Experience Listing (e.g a craft demonstration).
Hint: Products identify your type of shop/gallery. Select the products that complete the
statement “My business is a…” By selecting the products available at your business, you ensure
that potential visitors searching the online listings for a specific type of product will find you.
Product
Antique and Collectibles
Art or Craft Studio
Commercial Art Gallery
Craft Shop
Cultural Experience
Indigenous Craft Product
Fish Market
* Cultural Experiences provide a hand-on participatory cultural experience.
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Food and Beverage Establishments Definition: Any licenced food and beverage establishment. Not accepted: catering only services,
supermarkets, retail corner stores, gentlemen’s clubs/adult clubs.
Hint: Besides applying for a food and beverage business listing, your business is encouraged to
list any experiences you offer to the Travel Offers section of NewfoundlandLabrador.com by
adding a Travel Offer, Package or Experience Listing (e.g a cooking demonstrations, land/sea
to table experiences).
Hint: A winery, brewery or distillery operator may apply for a listing as an Attraction (which will
appear in the annual Traveller’s Guide) and a Food & Beverage listing (which will not appear in
the Traveller’s Guide).
Food & Beverage events can apply for a Festival & Events listing (e.g. Dinner Theatre, Food
Festival & Show) which will appear in the annual Traveller’s Guide
Specialty food operators can apply for a Shops & Galleries listings (e.g. Chocolate Shop or Ice
Cream Shop) which will also appear in the annual Traveller’s Guide
Category Product Category Product
Type of Restaurant Bar Grill Style of Cuisine Canadian
Bakery Chinese
Buffet French
Brewery, Winery & Distillery
Local/Newfoundland and Labrador
Coffee Shop Greek
Diner Health Food
Dining Room Indian
Family Restaurant Irish
Fast Food International
Fine Dining Japanese
Food Truck Mediterranean
Ice Cream Parlour Mexican Tex-Mex
Lounge Pizza
Pub Pub-style
Restaurant Seafood
Take-Out Specialty Desserts
Tea Room Steak
Upscale Casual Thai
Wine Bar Vegetarian/Vegan
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Outfitters Any business that provides overnight accommodations, licences, guiding and other services for
the purpose of catering to big game hunters and sport anglers.
Criteria for Inclusion:
Outfitting lodges and camps that offer hunting and/or sport angling experiences that have been
licenced by the Department and issued licences/tags by the federal Department of Fisheries
and Oceans or the provincial Department of Fisheries and Land Resources.
Hint: If you also offer tours in addition to your outfitting business, you can apply for a tour
business listing that can appear on NewfoundlandLabrador.com and the Traveller’s Guide. And
list your individual tours to the Travel Offers section of NewfoundlandLabrador.com by adding a
Travel Offer, Package or Experience Listing.
Category Product Category Product
Angling Arctic Char Hunting Black Bear
Atlantic Salmon Moose
Brook Trout Small Game
Lake Trout Woodland Caribou
Landlocked Salmon Barren-Ground Caribou
Northern Pike
Sea Run Brook Trout
White Fish
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Non-Resident Inbound Province-wide Tour Operators Based outside Newfoundland and Labrador, these companies contract/sub-contract with suppliers to create and/or market a multi-day tour. They promote and sell that package for an all-inclusive price.
Criteria for Inclusion:
Listing of Newfoundland and Labrador based tour operators who can get the tourist consumer to the province.
● Provides tours with air and/or ground transportation ● Province wide in scope within the tour package options ● Must have Scheduled Departures ● Has minimum of 3 days in package
How to get a listing: Contact the NL Tourism Portal Team to request a business listing on NewfoundlandLabrador.com.
Transportation Service Providers Companies that provide transportation services for travellers.
How to get a listing: Contact the NL Tourism Portal Team to request a business listing on NewfoundlandLabrador.com.
Product Product
Airline Electric Car Charging Station
Airport Ferry Service
Bus Charter Limousine Service
Car Rental RV Rentals & Service
Charter Aircraft Taxi Service
Information Centres
Visitor Services Organizations/businesses that provide a fixed-roof traveller’s information service for the purpose of providing trip planning/counselling.
How to get a listing: Contact the NL Tourism Portal Team to request a business listing on NewfoundlandLabrador.com.
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Travel Offers, Packages and Experiences – Definitions & Criteria Definition: Offered by accommodations, campgrounds, attractions, tours, shops, festival, events,
food & beverage operators. Also available to outfitters that offer tours of interests to travellers
rather than hunters (e.g. guided snowmobiling tour, guided canoeing, guided angling day trip,
nature viewing).
Travel Offers, Packages and Experiences are travel experiences and tours where travellers
immerse themselves in the local culture and participate whenever and wherever they can.
Criteria for inclusion: They must have a price point and can be a set number of hours, a daytrip
or an overnight(s). Businesses do not need to partner with another business or accommodation
to participate.
Travel Offers should:
● engage the visitor through hands-on activities;
● provide exclusive or behind-the-scenes access to the experience;
● use local experts to enhance the delivery of the experience;
● provide an opportunity for the visitor to interact with locals;
● be a cultural, learning and/or outdoor experience.
All experiences featured as ‘Canadian Signature Experiences’ by Destination Canada also
eligible.
Offers will appear in travel offers sections throughout the website and may also be featured in
social media posts, online advertising campaigns and through travel trade and media initiatives.
Placement in those programs are not guaranteed. It’s important to submit your offers early to be
considered.
Suggestions:
Touring & Exploring Experiences: Ideas include whale watching, iceberg viewing, hiking,
historic sites, and hands-on culinary and cultural tours/experiences. Experiences may include
cod/ocean fishing, a boil-up, or making blueberry jam. Perhaps you offer a music session, a
guided hike to a resettled community, or participation in a historic reenactment. Other activities
could involve music, food/wine tastings or instruction. Storytelling, painting, crafting, writing or
photography can also make great experiences. These packages should be displayed on
NewfoundlandLabrador.com for 12 months of the year.
Holiday or Special Celebration Experiences: Christmas, New Years, St. Paddy’s Day,
Valentine’s Day, etc.
Winter Experiences: A package might include skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling. Maybe
a romantic winter weekend or city break. Shopping, sport, entertainment, downtown or culinary.
How about a foodie winter break or a unique outdoor activity? Couple that with entertainment,
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pampering, or culinary experiences. These packages should be displayed throughout the Winter
season.
Hint: If you would like help to create a new package or experience, you are encouraged to
contact your Destination Management Organization. The Experiences Toolkit can assist you
with creating an experience or you can contact a Tourism Product Development Officer for
assistance.
Often experiences already exist in your business or can easily be pulled together. It is not
required that you partner with another business or accommodation.
Category Category
Boat Tour Hiking & Walking
Birdwatching Icebergs
Camping Kayaking and Rafting
Canadian Signature Experience Outdoor Adventure
Cultural Experience Package Tour
Culture & Heritage Romance
Diving Rural Retreat
Food and Dining Shops and Galleries
Festival and event Skiing and Snowboarding
Fishing- Guided Snowmobiling
Golfing Urban Getaways
Geology & Fossil Winter Fun
Health & Wellness
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Hunting and Angling Packages – Definitions & Criteria Definition: Outfitter business listings describe the outfitting business; while the package listings
describe the hunting and angling packages and includes a price point. Outfitter packages and
offers appear on HuntingNewfoundlandLabrador.com and/or
AnglingNewfoundlandLabrador.com. Hunting species are predetermined by licences, with the
exception of small game.
Hint: If you also offer tours (e.g. snowmobiling, ATV) in addition to your outfitting business, you
can apply for a tour business listing that can appear on NewfoundlandLabrador.com and the
Travellers Guide. And list your individual tours to the Travel Offers section of
NewfoundlandLabrador.com by adding a Promotion Package Listing.
Category Product Category Product
Angling Arctic Char Hunting Black Bear
Atlantic Salmon Moose
Brook Trout Woodland Caribou
Lake Trout Barren-Ground Caribou
Landlocked Salmon Small Game
Northern Pike
Sea Run Brook Trout
White Fish