TIAO announces the winners of the 2024 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence

These awards are presented annually to organizations, businesses and individuals that represent the quality of offerings that make Ontario a destination of choice. They aim to celebrate success and recognize those who have made outstanding impacts to Ontario’s tourism industry.

This year’s awards ceremony was held on October 23, closing out the second day of the Ontario Tourism Summit at the Hamilton Convention Centre. The ceremony also celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Destination Ontario, the lead tourism marketing organization in the province.

“The Ontario Tourism Summit brought together over 550 tourism professionals this year from around the province to gather, share and collaborate. Thank you to all of our nominees, finalists and winners for their remarkable contributions. These individuals and businesses showcase commitment to excellence and embody the passion that our industry is known for,” says Andrew Siegwart, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.

This year’s Tourism Champion is Victoria Clarke, director & CEO of Visit Mississauga. Clarke’s exceptional leadership and dedication to tourism in Mississauga and across Ontario have earned her this honour.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented during a luncheon on October 22 to Nick Di Donato, president and CEO of Liberty Entertainment Group. This accolade recognizes Di Donato's over three decades working in Ontario's tourism industry, enhancing Toronto’s appeal as a premier destination.

The winners of this year’s Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence are as follows;

Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence are presented to organizations, businesses and individuals that represent the quality of offerings that make Ontario a destination of choice – innovations, events, employers and the tourism champions who make it all possible.

• Tourism Event of the Year – Tall Pines Music and Arts Festival
• Tourism Employer of the Year – Chelsea Hotel, Toronto
• Sustainable Tourism Award – Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization
• Accessible Tourism Award – Hillside Community Festival of Guelph
• Tourism Innovator Award – Tourism Technology Company

Tourism Marketing & Travel Media Awards of Excellence celebrate the excellence and innovation of those who contribute to Ontario’s tourism industry through impactful tourism partnerships, marketing activities, and media relations provincially, nationally and internationally.

• Tourism Digital Marketing Award – Tourism Kingston – Social Media & Influencer Marketing
• Tourism Marketing Partnership Award – Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization
• Tourism Marketing Campaign Award (Over 50K) – The Seven “We’re Outside” – Northeastern Ontario Tourism with the New Business
• Tourism Marketing Campaign Award (Under 50K) – Fairgrounds Fest 2023 and Pumpkinfest 2023 – Norfolk County
• Travel Media Story Award – Colin Field
• Travel Media Photography Award – Sharon Matthews-Stevens

Culinary Tourism Awards of Excellence are about passion and excellence of those dedicated to advancing the culinary tourism movement in Ontario.

• Culinary Tourism Event of the Year Award – Bala Cranberry Festival
• Culinary Tourism Leadership Award – Tourism Kingston – Growing Culinary Tourism in Kingston
• Culinary Tourism Experience Award – Twisted Lemon Restaurant & Boutique Inn – Dan Megna and Laurie Lilliman

The OTEC Workforce Innovation & Collaboration Award recognizes a business or organization that has developed an innovative, local solution to a workforce challenge, accomplished through collaborative partnership(s). 

• Workforce Innovation & Collaboration Award – ORHMA & OHI – We Are Hospitality, INNOVATION – Be Our Guest Program

The Doug Smith Award is given to a post-secondary individual who has expressed a desire to work in finance and embodies the spirit of tourism in Ontario.

• Doug Smith Award – Setareh Soleimaninasab - George Brown College

Ontario’s Choice Awards (Attractions Ontario) calls upon tourists and locals to vote for their favourite attractions in eight different categories, with the overall top-voted nominee earning the distinction of the Attraction of the Year.

• Ontario Choice Awards – Little Canada

The Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence are jointly presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Attractions Ontario, Culinary Tourism Alliance, Indigenous Tourism Ontario, OTEC, Nieuport Aviation and Tourism Innovation Lab.