St. John's harbour at dusk with the city lights reflecting on the water
About Destination St. John's

Bringing St. John's
to the world.

A private non-profit destination marketing organization founded in 1997 , passionately promoting the St. John's region through compelling storytelling, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to excellence.

Our Story Meet Our Team
2025 Impact
565,271
Room Nights Sold

Across DSJ member hotels in 2025, a 10.95% increase over 2024.

See the numbers
Our Story
Founded 1997.

Nearly three decades of championing the St. John's region on the national and international stage.

Read our story
Our Purpose

Why we exist.

Our Vision

To be the choice urban destination in Canada.

A destination where dramatic natural beauty and vibrant community come together to create unforgettable experiences, for guests, residents, and partners alike.

Our Mission

We enrich the lives of our communities and guests by passionately promoting the St. John's region as a vibrant, colourful destination, through captivating storytelling, strategic partnerships, and setting new standards for excellence.

Four strategic directions
  • Strengthen our competitiveness in business events
  • Grow leisure visitation in priority domestic and international markets
  • Deepen engagement with our partners and members
  • Ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization
Voices

From our leadership.

“Tourism continues to be a powerful force in our community, supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and fostering a strong sense of pride in the place we call home.”

KS
Kim Shipp
Chair, Board of Directors

“Tourism does not happen in isolation; it is built through partnerships, relationships, and a collective commitment to showcasing the very best of who we are.”

PB
Paul Buggé
Chief Executive Officer
Our Strategy

A visual roadmap.

The 2024–2026 Strategic Plan is built around four strategic directions. Together they guide how we invest, partner, and measure progress across the visitor economy.

01

Strengthen competitiveness in business events

Attract meetings, conventions and incentive travel aligned with our key sectors, ocean, energy, natural resources and digital, and grow our share of national and international events.

02

Grow leisure visitation in priority markets

Expand reach across priority domestic and international markets through strategic campaigns, travel trade, and media relations that move travellers along the path to purchase.

03

Deepen engagement with partners and members

Strengthen collaboration with hotels, operators, government, and industry associations so tourism benefits every corner of our regional economy.

04

Ensure long-term sustainability of the organization

Build a resilient, well-governed DMO with the people, systems, and funding model to serve the St. John's region for decades to come.

Document
Strategic Priorities
View
Document
Annual Business Plan
View
Document
Corporate Reports
View
Document
Performance Dashboard
View
Our Values

How we show up, every day.

Six values shape the way our team works together and how we serve our partners, members, and the guests who choose St. John's.

Respect for All

Uniqueness, authenticity, diversity & inclusion, we offer everyone a warm welcome.

Stronger Together

Teamwork and collaboration with our team and industry partners, every day.

Love This Place

Pride, passion, and sustainability for our people, culture, and environment.

Can Do Attitude

Service excellence and creative problem-solving. We follow through and follow up.

Open to Change

Flexible, innovative, and adaptable in a shifting industry and world.

Kind to Each Other

Empathy for ourselves and others, we support each other in this work.

Meet the Team

The people behind the destination.

Leadership Team
  • Paul Buggé
    Chief Executive Officer
  • Andrew Forward
    Manager, Finance and Administration
  • Elizabeth Taylor
    Director of Business Development
  • Jeannette Yetman
    Manager, Business Development, Leisure Travel & Events
  • Kate Goodwin
    Manager, Business Development
  • Nancy Bradshaw
    Manager, Business Development
  • Cyrena Eddy
    Specialist, Business Development
  • Tina French
    Specialist, Business Development
  • Allison Crawford
    Senior Marketing Manager
  • Alison Cass
    Brand Manager
  • Cheryl Nash
    Manager, Partnership and Experience Development
Board Officers
  • Chair
    Kim Shipp
    Memorial University Botanical Garden & Johnson GEO CENTRE
  • Past Chair
    Ann Marie Reddy
    Fairfield by Marriott
  • Vice Chair
    Greg Fleming
    The ALT Hotel
  • Treasurer
    Dennis Davies
    DoubleTree by Hilton St. John's Harbourview
Board of Directors
  • Dennis Hogan
    St. John's International Airport Authority
  • Heather McKinnon
    Delta Hotels St. John's / Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland
  • Tanya Haywood
    City of St. John's
  • Brent Meade
    St. John's Sports and Entertainment
  • Rick Stanley
    Ocean Quest Adventures
  • Todd Perrin
    Rabble
  • Yuchao (Steven) Cao
    Newfoundland International Vacation Group Ltd.
  • Larry Laite
    Jag Hotel
  • Anne Chafe
    The Rooms
  • Kathie Hicks
    Spirit of Newfoundland Productions
  • Tracy MacDonald
    Hilton Garden Inn
  • Pam Goodyear
    Dildo Brewing Company and Museum
  • Maria Afonso
    Ramada St. John's
Our Story

How we became who we are.

A short history of Destination St. John's, and where we're heading next. Scroll through nearly three decades of building the visitor economy.

Destination St. John's is founded
1997

Destination St. John's is founded

1997
1

The region establishes a dedicated non-profit DMO to promote St. John's as a leading Canadian destination.

Building the business events pipeline
2000s

Building the business events pipeline

2000s
2

DSJ begins competing nationally for major association meetings and conventions.

2010s

A stronger stage for major events

2010s
3

Investment in convention capacity and event infrastructure opens the door to larger, citywide bookings.

New 3-year strategic plan launches
2024

New 3-year strategic plan launches

2024
4

The 2024–2026 Strategic Plan sets four objectives across business events, leisure, partnerships, and organizational sustainability.

2025

A record-setting year

2025
5

565,271 room nights sold, 31,876 delegates hosted, and 70M+ campaign impressions across global markets.

Pacing ahead of the country
2026

Pacing ahead of the country

2026
6

For definite events in 2026, St. John's is pacing 167% ahead of pre-pandemic delegate numbers, and 397% ahead on international events.

Next

Canada's urban destination of choice

Next
7

A four-season destination where dramatic natural beauty and vibrant community come together.

Our Impact

A living dashboard.

A snapshot of Destination St. John's 2025 performance across the visitor economy , sourced directly from our 2025 Annual Report.

565,271
Room nights sold

Total room nights across DSJ member hotels in 2025, up 10.95% over 2024.

$104M+
Hotel room revenue

Generated across member hotels in 2025, a 21.13% increase year over year.

$15.6M+
HST generated

Provincial sales tax contributed by accommodations alone in 2025.

31,876
Delegates attracted

Through 103 business, sport and cultural events hosted in the region.

70M+
Campaign impressions

Across DSJ's domestic and international marketing campaigns in 2025.

86,143
Social followers

A growing global audience, 14,586 new followers joined us in 2025.

St. John's downtown at night
What We Do

Six mandates,
one destination.

How Destination St. John's champions the visitor economy, from marketing to major events.

Why St. John's

A destination unlike anywhere else.

Behind every marketing campaign is a real place, full of character, history, and warmth. This is why visitors, planners, and partners choose St. John's.

500 years on the edge of the Atlantic
Rich history

500 years on the edge of the Atlantic

Kitchen parties, art, and traditional music
Vibrant culture

Kitchen parties, art, and traditional music

Icebergs, whales, and the East Coast Trail
Coastal adventures

Icebergs, whales, and the East Coast Trail

A walkable capital built for planners
World-class meetings

A walkable capital built for planners

A chef-led food scene fed by the sea
Culinary experiences

A chef-led food scene fed by the sea

Canada's warmest first impression
Welcoming community

Canada's warmest first impression

Our Partners

An ecosystem, not a membership.

Destination St. John's exists because of the people and organizations that build the visitor experience every day. Together, we make the destination.

Industry & Operators

The businesses that welcome guests every day.

  • Hotels & Accommodations
  • Attractions
  • Restaurants
  • Tour Operators
  • Festivals & Events
  • Airlines
  • Cruise & Marine

Government & Civic

Public sector partners investing in the destination.

  • St. John's Convention Centre
  • City of St. John's
  • Provincial Government

National & Regional

Federal and regional agencies advancing tourism.

  • Destination Canada
  • ACOA

Indigenous Partners

Working together to share authentic Indigenous stories, cultures, and experiences.

129
RFPs received in 2025
103
Events hosted
44,455
Event-generated room nights
Major Business Events · 2025
Delegates
  1. 01Canadian Psychological Association National Convention & Tradeshow1,600
  2. 02National Oral Health Convention1,500
  3. 03Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society Annual Meeting800
  4. 04Community Futures National Conference600
  5. 0511th International Symposium on Avian Influenza300
News & Insights

Reports, research, and industry updates.

Year in Review: Visitor Economy 2025
Annual Report

Year in Review: Visitor Economy 2025

Read more
Cruise sector outlook for Newfoundland
Research

Cruise sector outlook for Newfoundland

Read more
New partnerships fueling four-season growth
Industry Update

New partnerships fueling four-season growth

Read more
Become a Partner

Join our network.

Whether you run a hotel, a tour, a restaurant, a festival, or a cultural organization, there's a place for you in our network.

  • Benefits
  • Networking
  • Marketing
  • Research
  • Advocacy