Tourism Toronto Launches Interactive Yo-Toronto.com Trip Planning Website for Kids

TORONTO, June 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Parents can involve their kids in family travel planning with a new kids-first web site Yo-Toronto.com, launched today by Tourism Toronto. Designed to inspire and entertain younger guests, the site is filled with games, activities, videos, and fun facts. The colourful map navigation and quick, up-beat videos allow kids to explore over 20 Toronto landmarks and attractions to shape their family trip.

Accessible via desktop computer, phone or tablet, Yo-Toronto.com offers video highlights to create your must-see in Toronto lists, print-friendly activities to take on the road, scavenger hunt-styled games, and 'best of' lists to help families get the most out of their time in the city.

"Planning a trip can be such a powerful part of the learning process that many parents want to provide their kids through travel. Yo-Toronto is a kids-first site meant to give kids the opportunity to participate in the trip planning experience," said Johanne Bélanger, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto. "Toronto is truly Canada's downtown, offering families the biggest and best attractions and a global diversity of food, festivals and culture. It's an ideal combination of fun and learning and that should include the part of the trip that happens before the family even gets in to the car or boards the plane."

Parents can plan the details of their Toronto trip through the expanded SeeTorontoNow.com including hotels, neighbourhoods, events and practical tips like transportation options. Meanwhile, at Yo-Toronto.com, kids can explore attractions like Toronto Zoo, CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium, Ontario Science Centre, Royal Ontario Museum, Hockey Hall of Fame, Harbourfront Centre, Air Canada Centre, Casa Loma, Railway Museum, Toronto Islands, Bata Shoe Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, Fort York, Treetop Trekking, Fantasy Fair at Woodbine, Canada's Wonderland, BMO Field, Legoland, Playdium, and Rogers Centre.

Keep kids entertained with downloadable activities from colouring a historic castle and testing wildlife knowledge to discovering a rollercoaster maze or laughing out loud with jokes. There's even fun learning facts such as the CN Tower has an incredible 1,776 steps and six glass-fronted elevators in case that climb is a bit much; Canada's Wonderland is home to the 93-metre-tall (306 feet) Leviathan, the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada; There's a secret underground tunnel that connects Casa Loma to its horse stables; the Toronto Zoo is one of the world's largest with more than 5,000 animals representing over 500 species; the ROM only recently found out the name of its Egyptian mummy, known as Nefret-Mut, meaning "beautiful one of the goddess Mut."

Toronto is Canada's most-visited destination, welcoming 14.3 million overnight visitors in 2015. Family travel to Toronto is increasing in all seasons with the recent additions of major new attractions like Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and the addition of Giant Pandas at the Toronto Zoo, and special events throughout the year like TIFF Kids Film Festival, BuskerFest, the Canadian National Exhibition, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Toronto Christmas Market. Toronto also provides easy ways for parents to introduce children to arts and culture through special kids programming at museums and galleries, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Harbourfront Centre, and major theatrical productions.

Developed by Tourism Toronto in partnership with SpaFax agency, the artistic design of the new website came from Toronto natives John Crossingham (writer) and Clayton Hanmer (illustrator). Mr. Crossingham is best known for his talent in music, having been part of bands including Broken Social Scene and Raising the Fawn and the author of Speak Music. Mr. Hanmer, a winner of many industry awards, has had his work appear in diverse publications such as National Geographic Kids, Nickelodeon, The Walrus, The Globe & Mail, and the New York Times.

About Tourism Toronto

Tourism Toronto, Toronto's Convention and Visitors Association, is an industry association of more than 1,000 members established to sell and market the greater Toronto region as a remarkable destination for tourists, convention delegates and business travellers around the globe. Tourism Toronto operates in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the Greater Toronto Hotel Association. For more information please visit http://www.seetorontonow.com/.

Contact: Michele Simpson, Media Relations Manager, Tourism Toronto, [phone], [e-mail]