Skip to main content
Date: Sep 14, 2016
For immediate release | 14 September 2016
HEADWATERS TOURISM GARNERS NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A FINALIST IN 2016 CANADIAN TOURISM AWARDS
On September 14, 2016 the Tourism Industry Association of Canada announced the finalists for the 2016 Canadian Tourism Awards. Headwaters Tourism, the small Ontario destination marketing organization representing Dufferin County and the Towns of Caledon, Erin, Mono and Shelburne has been named a finalist in two categories: The Visa Innovator of the Year Award for the Headwaters Parade of Horses, and the Fairmont Marketing Campaign of the Year Award for the "Where Ontario Gets Real" campaign.
The Canadian Tourism Awards are presented annually to celebrate success, leadership and innovation in Canada's travel and tourism industry and recognize those who go above and beyond to offer superior tourism experiences in Canada. This year they received over 130 incredible submissions, which were narrowed down to three finalists in each category by their expert panel of judges.
Headwaters Tourism is proud to be named a finalist in The Fairmont Marketing Campaign of the Year Award category. This award is presented to the organization that has devised and implemented the year's most outstanding tourism marketing campaign or initiative. Headwaters Tourism's "Where Ontario Gets Real" campaign was named a finalist in this category, alongside the internationally acclaimed "Crayons" campaign, presented by Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, and the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation's campaign, "Where Am I?".
The Headwaters Parade of Horses was named a finalist in the Visa Innovator of the Year Award category. This award is presented to the tourism business or organization that develops the most innovative new tourism product, service or process or the most innovative new approach to an existing tourism product, service or process that positively impacts the tourism business or industry as a whole. Envisioned by the Headwaters Equine Leadership Group as a Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games legacy project this initiative was truly an undertaking that is testament to the commitment and passion of over 45 Headwaters area artists who voluntarily transformed the horse sculptures into works of art. The Headwaters Parade of Horses is proud to be nominated alongside the Assiniboine Park Conservancy (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and the Parc de la Gorge (Coaticook, Quebec).
Upon announcement of the 2016 Canadian Tourism Award finalists, Headwaters Tourism's Board Chair, Stacey Coupland, said: "I am so proud of what this recognition means for tourism in Headwaters. As a small DMO with a non-existent marketing budget, these undertakings were built on partnerships, commitment and passion. What started as "our" campaigns are now owned by everyone in the region, and they only came about because our partners and operators shared our vision. To be recognized at a national level and in the company of such high calibre tourism destinations and businesses in indeed an honour for all of us."
The full list of finalists for the 2016 Canadian Tourism Awards can be found at headwatersb2b.ca (http://headwatersb2b.ca/news/tiac-announces-finalists-2016-canadian-tourism-awards/). Awards will be presented at the dinner ceremony at the Hilton Hotel Lac Leamy in Gatineau on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 during the Canadian Tourism Congress.
For further information please contact:
Michele Harris, Executive Director, Headwaters Tourism
Office: 519.942.0314 | 800.332.9744 - extension 201
Cell: 519.215.2771
michele@headwaters.ca
________________________________
Headwaters Tourism is the recognized destination marketing organization for the Headwaters region of Ontario, providing tourism services on behalf of the regional tourism industry and on behalf of our municipal partners in Dufferin County and the Towns of Caledon, Mono, Shelburne & Erin.