Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island Shines at the Ontario Tourism Summit Awards

Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) is proud to announce that we have won the Culinary Tourism Leadership Award at the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario’s (TIAO) Ontario Tourism Summit, presented during the Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence last night at Caesars Windsor.

The Ontario Culinary Tourism Leadership Award recognized TWEPI’s role in developing the Windsor Region Culinary Tourism Strategy. This positioned the destination as an authentic “taste of place” for visitors and included the creation of the Barrels, Bottles & Brews Trail, a farmers markets campaign; partnerships with our Essex Pelee Island Coast (EPIC) wineries, our coffee culture program, and market-readiness workshops for stakeholders.

“Research tells us that food is one of the most important parts of any travel experience. Furthermore, the concept of traveling for food is becoming a major consumer trend,” says Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island. “Our culinary strategy was developed to capitalize on this trend and shines a spotlight on the stories of our growers, chefs, and beverage producers, underscoring our region’s passion and enthusiasm for our local flavors”.

In addition, the Windsor Essex Barrels Bottles & Brews trail was celebrated with the Tourism Marketing Partnership award from Destinations Ontario, as part of the Brewery Discovery Route marketing program.

Furthermore, the Windsor Essex region saw 5 additional partners recognized as finalists for additional awards during the Ontario Tourism Summit, including:

Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence (TIAO)

• Tourism Champion of the Year – Mark Baker of Encore Productions (The Rum Runners Tour)

Tourism Marketing & Travel Media Awards of Excellence (Destination Ontario)

• Marketing Campaign Under $50k – Canuck It Up Festival Canadiana (Town of Amherstburg)
• Tourism Marketing Partnership – EPIC 1867 Wine Project (Tourism Windsor Essex, EPIC Wineries)

Culinary Tourism Awards of Excellence (CTA)

• Culinary Leadership – Iron Kettle Bed and Breakfast
• Culinary Experience Award – Brewery Discovery Routes (Barrels Bottles & Brews Trail)

This award clearly recognizes TWEPI’s ongoing efforts to bolster the image and economy of the region by developing, marketing, and promoting our destination in cooperation within a united tourism industry.

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Media Contact:

Gordon Orr
CEO, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island
519-791-6405
[email protected]