Skip to main content

Eligibility and Listing Requirements

Tourism Nova Scotia’s marketing campaigns drive people to NovaScotia.com for more information. The website gets more than nine million visits each year.  By listing with us, you have the potential to get more awareness for your business, while helping us showcase all that Nova Scotia has to offer.  

Tourism Nova Scotia offers free listings on the province’s official tourism web site NovaScotia.com for the following: 

  • Roofed accommodations and campgrounds
  • Outdoor activities and tours
  • Attractions
  • Food and beverage
  • Events
  • Experiences
  • Packages

In addition, Tourism Nova Scotia offers free business listings in the official trip planning guide, the Doers & Dreamers Guide, for the following:

  • Roofed accommodations and campgrounds
  • Outdoor Activities and tours
  • Attractions
  • Food and beverage

Eligibility Criteria for Businesses

Businesses that meet the following eligibility criteria may apply to be listed free of charge on NovaScotia.com and in the Doers & Dreamers Guide:

  • You must be open and operational a minimum of 4 days per week with set open and close times prior to applying for a listing.
  • The tourism business/service you are promoting must meet all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws, regulations, by-laws and business requirements, including liability insurance. 
  • If not open year-round, the tourism business (excluding events & experiences) must be open to the public for a minimum of 4 days per week with set open and close times for 13 consecutive weeks between opening and closing.
    • Operations that are open by chance or by appointment only generally are not able to serve visitor needs and will not be listed.
  • The operation must operate be in a single, fixed location or have defined and published meeting points (e.g. for tour companies).
  • You must be open to the general traveling public without restriction (e.g. a membership is not required to visit your tourism business).
  • You must provide customers with an easy way to find accurate information about your business, including location and operational details (i.e. a website, social media pages).
  • You must update your business listing at least once per calendar year.
  • All packages/experiences listed on NovaScotia.com must also be listed on the lead business’ website, to help ensure there’s a clear path to purchase for visitors.

Accommodations Requirements

  • Fixed-roof accommodations must be registered with the Province
  • Fixed-roof accommodations and campgrounds must report monthly occupancy data. Occupancy data must be submitted to Tourism Nova Scotia within seven calendar days following the end of each month they are operating. See Accommodations Occupancy Reporting for more information.

Apply for a Listing

Download the application form for your business type (i.e. accommodation, tour, attraction, etc.) available on this page. Complete and sign the form and return it by mail or e-mail to the address included on the form.

Business listing applications are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

 

Business listings must include complete and up-to-date information to help visitors plan their trip. Listings should also include a compelling description and images to help catch visitors’ attention. It is your responsibility to ensure that the information you submit is accurate and up to date.

Listings must include:

  • A link to your ratings on a peer review site (ie: TripAdvisor, Expedia, Google Business, Yelp, etc.)
  • Contact information including an address, phone number, and email
  • A written description of the services you provide
  • Open and close dates and times
  • A minimum of one, maximum of 10, horizontal images sized 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels high. Logos and/or photos with writing on them will not be accepted.
  • Accommodation listings must include rates, number of rooms, and available amenities

Tourism Nova Scotia also highly encourages you to include:

  • Video (must be uploaded to YouTube)
  • Link to your website
  • Link to your social media channel(s)
  • Link to online booking platform(s)

Please contact Stephanie Wadden, Digital Marketing Coordinator, at stephanie.wadden@novascotia.ca if you have any questions about the criteria or application process to participate in our marketing channels.

 

Specific Criteria by Listing Category

Please note that some business types must meet specific requirements to be included in Tourism Nova Scotia’s marketing channels. These requirements are outlined below.

Accommodations and Campgrounds

Any accommodation or campground wishing to participate in Tourism Nova Scotia’s marketing channels MUST submit occupancy reports to Tourism Nova Scotia each month you are open.  If an accommodation/campground does not report its occupancy data within seven calendar days following the end of each month they are operating, their listing may be deactivated on NovaScotia.com until Tourism Nova Scotia receives their required occupancy information.

More information about occupancy reporting is available at https://tourismns.ca/research/accommodation-occupancy-reporting

Fixed-roof accommodations must be registered with the Province. Campgrounds are not required to register unless they have a fixed roof accommodation (i.e. camping cabin, trailer, cottage, glamping structure such as a yurt, dome, etc.) available for short term rentals on their property.

Attractions

All tourism attractions must have planned visitor orientation and interpretation, provided by staff, a self-guided tour, interpretive signage, and/or interpretive literature/multi-media. Categories of attractions include:

  • Gardens
  • Spas & Wellness
  • Lighthouses
  • Museums & Historic Sites
  • UNESCO Sites
  • Artisans & Galleries
  • Theatres

Artisan Studios, Shops & Galleries

  • Focus MUST be on local goods produced in and unique to Nova Scotia.
  • The applicant must carry 100% Canadian craft and fine art with a minimum of 80% Nova Scotia-made product, craft or fine art (inventory can be made up of more than one Nova Scotia artist or craftsperson).
  • For home-based galleries and shops, the business must operate in a separate space away from living quarters with signage which promotes the primary focus of the space.
  • Note: Restaurants / cafés / bakeries that display and sell works of local artists as décor in business do not qualify for this type of listing.
  • The use of the wording “Open Studio” requires that the applicant has a working studio on premises and invites visitors into their studio to watch them work.

Food & Beverage

  • This category is intended to promote uniquely Nova Scotian restaurants, culinary products and craft beverages to visitors to help motivate travel throughout Nova Scotia. 
  • Brew Pubs: Must be an eatery that brews beer on-site for tasting and purchase.
  • Craft Breweries / Cideries / Distilleries / Wineries: Must be actively brewing/distilling/producing on site and offer a walk-in storefront experience where visitors sample, purchase and/or participate in tours to learn about the products. 
  • Specialty Food Shops & Producers: Must be locally crafted, artisanal food items utilizing Nova Scotia products and ingredients, and offer a walk-in storefront experience where visitors sample, purchase and/or participate in tours to learn about the products. Products can range from artisan cheeses, baked goods and chocolate to products using Nova Scotia fruits, meats, seafood, maple, etc.
  • Restaurants: Places where customers can enjoy a meal, especially those with a focus on local ingredients and flavours, may be eligible for a restaurant listing. Food trucks in a set location may also be eligible. National and International chains are not eligible.

Please note, if purchasable food & drink tours are offered, there is further opportunity to list your tour within the packages/experiences section on NovaScotia.com

Events

Tourism Nova Scotia lists events on NovaScotia.com that are open to the general public, welcoming to visitors and have the potential to attract visitors to Nova Scotia.

Event categories include:

  • Don't Miss: Top events identified by Tourism Nova Scotia as having the ability to encourage visitors to choose to come to Nova Scotia
  • Arts & Culture: Events that involve artistic works, exhibits or performances and cultural activities
  • Community: Local cultural events that showcase and celebrate the community and are welcoming to visitors
  • Music: Any event that includes live music
  • Food & Drink: Themed events that focus on culinary experiences and offerings
  • Outdoor & Sports: Events that include outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, kayaking, motorcycling, and sporting events with public access for spectating

The following do not qualify for events on Tourism Nova Scotia’s marketing channels:

  • Permanent attractions/exhibitions, displays, markets (i.e. anything that runs all year round and/or does not have a fixed date)
  • Community-targeted activities such as trivia nights, open mics, community fundraisers, yard sales, bake sales, coffee & tea socials, and recreational classes
  • Conferences and certain types of courses e.g. workshops, classes, demonstrations, and presentations that are not considered welcoming to visitors
  • Submissions with suggestive content

Experiences

Experiences help set Nova Scotia apart and create memorable vacations that keep visitors coming back. An experience connects visitors to our culture, people, places, and flavours through hands-on activities.

Nova Scotia tourism operators may be eligible to list experiences for free on NovaScotia.com if they meet the following criteria:

  • Include at least two of the following under one price point:
    • Transportation
    • Accommodations
    • Meals
    • Tickets to events or attractions
    • Guided tours
    • Activity or experience, such as music instruction, culinary or wine tasting, storytelling, painting, writing, photography, spa services, golf, etc.
  • Integrate a local element to showcase stories, flavours, people and/or places that are unique to Nova Scotia, the community or business, such as local cuisine, music, storytellers, cultural activities, and/or special locations
  • Be well-themed with a unique title that reflects the theme
  • Engage the visitor through hands-on activities, where they learn something by doing something with someone who lives here
  • Involve qualified guides and/or local experts to deliver a safe, quality experience;
  • Be available a minimum of four times throughout the year
  • If offering more than one experience, each experience must have a unique title and photo

Tourism Nova Scotia reserves the right to remove experience listings that do not meet the above criteria and/or do not provide a quality visitor experience.
 

Travel Packages

To qualify as a travel package on NovaScotia.com your package must include at least two of the following under one price point:

  • Transportation
  • Accommodations
  • Meals
  • Tickets to events or attractions
  • Guided tours
  • Activity or experience, such as music instruction, culinary or wine tasting, storytelling, painting, writing, photography, spa services, golf, etc.

Please note, travel packages may be posted for up to one year on NovaScotia.com. After one year, we will automatically remove the package unless you renew the listing.

Offering Multiple Travel Packages

Offering multiple packages gives potential visitors choices, and can help raise awareness of regional activities and encourage visitors to stay longer in your area.  If you are offering multiple packages, each package must meet the following criteria:

  • Offer a unique pairing of transportation, accommodations, meals, tickets, tours or activities/experiences 
  • Have a unique title
  • Have a unique photo

Please note, if you are creating packages with the same offering and multiple night options, this is considered one package and the details concerning pricing and number of nights should be listed in the conditions section.

Listing Content Review Process
  • Tourism Nova Scotia will review and approve all submissions before listings are displayed.
  • You can submit a request for a business listing at any time throughout the year, although annual deadlines do apply for travel guide listings. Deadlines for travel guide listings are announced in advance through the inTouch newsletter.
  • Tourism Nova Scotia reviews content to ensure it meets applicable criteria and does not contain obvious errors (i.e. broken links, spelling, etc.). However, it is your responsibility to ensure that the information you submit is accurate and up to date.
  • Tourism Nova Scotia strives to review submitted content within 7 to 10 business days. However, during peak season it may take longer for submissions to be reviewed.
  • You will be notified by email if there are any issues with the content you have submitted.
Cause for Removal

Compliance with the outlined eligibility and listing criteria in no way guarantees a business listing on Tourism Nova Scotia marketing channels. Tourism Nova Scotia reserves the right to remove/reject submitted listings for any reason deemed fit. This could include, but is not limited to, the following reasons:

  • The listing does not contain mandatory content requirements
  • Non-compliance with Business Listing or Partner Portal Terms of Use
  • The content contains outdated or misleading information, or inappropriate copy or images
  • The business, artist, or organization is no longer in operation
  • The accommodation/campground is not reporting occupancy data
  • The business, artist or organization does not maintain all applicable insurance, licenses, permits, approvals, and statutory authorities issued by any government or government agency that are necessary to run the business
  • The business or organization is not in good standing with Tourism Nova Scotia

Please keep in mind that the criteria for Tourism Nova Scotia’s marketing channels are designed to serve our out-of-region visitors. If you do not qualify for a Tourism Nova Scotia listing, you can contact your local or regional tourism associations to discuss other marketing opportunities.