Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island wins at the Ontario Culinary Tourism Awards

Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) has won the Ontario Culinary Tourism Experience Award at the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario’s Ontario Tourism Summit (presented by the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance).

TWEPI’s partnership with EPIC (Essex Pelee Island Coast) Wineries culminated in winning the Ontario Culinary Tourism Experience Award for offering visitors immersive and authentic wine experiences, including a Wine Passport that enhances their visit. Combined with popular events like March Mac’ness and Sip Into Summer, the region offers a getaway escape that appeals to a wide range of visitors, including wine enthusiasts and foodies.

“Research tells us that food and drink are an important component of any travel experience. Furthermore, the concept of traveling for food is becoming a major consumer trend. Our focus was to capitalize on this trend and shine a spotlight on the stories of our growers, chefs, and beverage producers, underscoring our region’s passion and enthusiasm for our local flavors.” – Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island

“EPIC Wine Country makes world-class wines and we are excited to tell our story to the world,” says Steve Mitchell, President of EPIC Wineries. “We’re creating a lifestyle experience here. We’ve got live music overlooking the lake, people are outside sipping wine, enjoying picnics, cycling through winding country roads – it’s all about making sure they have a great time and want to come back”.

Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island was also a finalist for the Ontario Culinary Tourism Leadership Award which 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; and a market-readiness workshop for stakeholders.

This award 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.