Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) partnered in the annual kick-off to Tourism Week at the province of Ontario’s Travel Information Centre (OTIC) in Windsor.

The OTICs play an integral role in celebrating Tourism Week with their annual Open Houses, hosting travel-related displays featuring what each region has to offer visitors.

“The close partnership we have with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation continues to reinforce the importance of meaningful face-to-face contact that visitors are offered by both OTIC and Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island when communicating plenty of reasons to visit.” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island.

This event is the first of many in an exciting month ahead as TWEPI celebrates June as Tourism Month. Recognizing the importance of encouraging local residents to explore our own backyard, TWEPI is running a month-long Windsor Essex Staycation Giveaway where visitors can go to www.visitwindsoressex.com/staycation to enter to win 1 of 11 grand prize packages worth over $4500.

TWEPI also announced the launch of Barrels Bottles & Brews, a new campaign designed to highlight the explosive growth of craft breweries and distilleries in our region. Through a newly-designed microsite, www.barrelsbottlesbrews.ca, visitors will be invited to pick up a passport, get it stamped at stops along the Barrels Bottles & Brews Trail, and redeem the completed passport for a free gift. Along the way, they’ll experience the history of Canadian Whisky, Prohibition, and enjoy flights of craft beer or small batch-ultra premium spirits.

“Tools like exciting contests along with fresh, compelling tourism products like the new Barrels Bottles & Brews Trail provide us with the ability to attract and engage with visitors and provide them with multiple reasons why they’ll love this place as much as we do”, says Orr.