Promoting The Food & Beverage Biz
A new year has begun once again and business owners are filled with hope that 2018 will be their most profitable year yet.
As you saw with the publishing of our 20th annual Biz X awards edition in mid-November 2017, myself and everyone on my team, believe Windsor Essex is the #1 spot to operate a business.
We recognized 24 excited local companies/organizations and individuals who received their awards in a formal gala at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts. In the pages of this issue you can see photos from the event and on Your TV, Cable 11/HD 700, highlights from the evening, broadcast from January 15 to February 1.
This area has a lot to brag about! Not only are we pleased with the fact we had 220 nominees in our awards program (including lots of fantastic restaurants) but we also have many local companies bringing recognition to our area. Since we have a dining feature this time around, let’s learn about a local company racking up a few awards in the hospitality industry.
In early November 2017 at the “Ontario Tourism Summit” in Niagara Falls, Adriano Ciotoli, Co-Owner of WindsorEats was selected as the “Tourism Champion of the Year” by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. The award recognizes an organization or business that has developed an admirable reputation as a great place to work and as an upstanding example of Ontario’s tourism industry.
Ciotoli launched WindsorEats in 2004, along with his sister and business partner, Pina. They have become a leader in promoting the Windsor Essex region as a culinary tourism destination.As the business grew quickly, WindsorEats began offering “Wine Trail Rides,” “Bikes & Beers,” and the “Drinks of Walkerville,” a walking tour through Old Walkerville to learn about its architecture. The tour was designated as an “Ontario Signature Experience” in 2015.
As well, in late November, WindsorEats was awarded the “Small or Medium Sized Business of the Year” Award at the Tourism Industry Association of Canada Tourism Conference in Gatineau, Quebec,
The award is presented to a tourism business in Canada, with fewer than 20 employees, that exemplifies industry best practices in all aspects of its operations and is an example of all around business excellence in the tourism industry.
“We are so honoured to be recognized on a national scale,” says Pina. “The business and organizations we work alongside and partner with are an important part of what we do and help us in achieving our goals and providing quality experiences. Adriano and I work hard at showing others what is unique about Windsor and Essex County, elevating its position in the tourism sector and providing quality experiences for visitors. When someone takes notice of the work you’re doing it’s a great feeling.”
Not only is WindsorEats.com blazing their own trail in promoting their region and the province of Ontario, but, the very core of the business is also dedicated to partnering with and promoting other culinary and tourism businesses, giving small operators a larger platform to get their message out.
And that is where Biz X fits in. It is also our mission to promote tourism businesses, but also all the best area businesses and organizations in every industry! And so we begin our 21st year of publishing . . . I hope you enjoy this edition and learn even more great news on award winners throughout our magazine — not just in our January 2018 issue but every issue after!
