| When they take their Ontario winter time resort | | | | the past several years, when tourist regions such as |
| holiday, vacationers expect to experience crisp clear | | | | Muskoka and Collingwood had little or no snow, |
| days in a landscape draped in a fluffy white blanket | | | | Haliburton had an ample supply. At times, Haliburton |
| of fresh fallen snow. They want to be able to skate | | | | was the only place in central Ontario - including the |
| or fish on glass smooth frozen lakes and they want | | | | North Bay region - that had appreciable amounts of |
| to ski or snowmobile on an adequate base of snow. | | | | snow. For this reason, the Haliburton Highlands may |
| Over the last few years, Ontario resort owners have | | | | be just the place you need to consider when planning |
| found that they can no longer count on the abundant | | | | your winter holiday travel plans. |
| snowfalls of the past that attracted a steady stream | | | | Winter visitors to the Haliburton Highlands have a |
| of vacationers and guaranteed resorts a long and | | | | wealth of winter-based tourist attractions and |
| profitable winter season. The current trend in | | | | activities to choose from including hundreds of |
| Ontario's weather of milder winter time temperatures | | | | kilometres of groomed snowmobile and cross-country |
| and reduced snowfall could prove disastrous for | | | | ski trails, alpine skiing, and fabulous ice fishing. |
| Ontario's resort industry. However, by following the | | | | However, people who plan a winter getaway in the |
| guidelines stated below, you will be well on your way | | | | Haliburton Highland's are not limited to activities based |
| to creating a memorable winter getaway in Ontario's | | | | solely on how the weather behaves. Although this |
| resort region regardless of what the weather brings. | | | | region has access to many groomed snowmobile |
| If you are insistent upon having a winter getaway | | | | trails, guests of this resort town come from all over |
| filled with outdoor activities that require a great deal | | | | the province and the northern states to Haliburton |
| of snow, it is imperative to consider what experts | | | | because they know that Haliburton has great |
| predict the weather to be like. The winter of 2006 | | | | trails-these trails are beautiful in the snow and serve |
| 2007, which the record keepers say was the mildest | | | | as an excellent place to take advantage of |
| winter ever, wreaked havoc on Ontario's tourism | | | | cross-country skiing and dog sledding. However, when |
| industry. The unusually mild temperatures and lack of | | | | snow is minimal, the trails still serve as a great place |
| snow adversely affected traditional winter outdoor | | | | for a day hike and offer spectacular scenery. For |
| activities such as snowmobling, cross-country skiing, | | | | many, the Haliburton Highlands , offers everything to |
| alpine skiing, and ice fishing. In areas that experienced | | | | people who are looking for a winter getaway in |
| especially mild weather, some tourist and | | | | Ontario's resort region. |
| winter-based industries were forced to shut down | | | | Fortunately for Ontario's tourism industry, all reports |
| and lay-off employees. Ontario's largest ski resort, | | | | indicate a colder and snowier winter season ahead. |
| Blue Mountain in Collingwood, was forced to lay off | | | | According to the Farmers Almanac, the winter of |
| some 1,300 workers when it shut down for the first | | | | 2007/2008 will be "a colder than normal winter with a |
| time in its 65-year history due to lack of snow. They | | | | greater average complement of precipitation." This is |
| reported that over the usually booming Christmas | | | | great news for Ontario's many winter resort and |
| holiday, week room occupancy rates dropped a | | | | tourist operators who have, over the past few |
| staggering 40% from the same period last year. | | | | years, seen their businesses suffer from lack of |
| Along those same lines, if you plan on taking part in | | | | snow and higher temperatures. However, one good |
| outdoor recreational activities that rely on the snow, | | | | winter may only be a reprieve for many in Ontario's |
| it is important to plan a winter holiday in Ontario's | | | | resort industry that rely on revenues derived from a |
| resort region in areas that have traditionally been | | | | good winter season. Ontario tourist operators, not |
| associated with colder temperatures and more snow. | | | | fortunate enough to be located in areas that |
| Some Ontario resort areas have been affected more | | | | experience temperatures cold enough to sustain |
| than others by the rise in wintertime temperatures. | | | | winter based activities, will have to reassess their |
| Due to its geographic location, the Haliburton | | | | businesses and look for other ways of attracting |
| Highlands, a popular resort region located two and a | | | | winter tourists. In the meantime, relying on the |
| half hours northeast of Toronto, has always | | | | advice above will ensure a memorable winter holiday |
| experienced winter temperatures that average a few | | | | in Ontario's resort region. |
| degrees cooler than other Ontario resort areas. Over | | | | |