Sault Ste. Marie Visitors’ Guide earns top marks
Thursday, October 25, 2012 by: SooToday.com Staff
NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO TOURISM
MARKETING PARTNERSHIP CORP.
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Sault Ste. Marie takes award for best print material
Ontario Tourism Awards celebrate the best in Ontario tourism
The Sault Ste. Marie Visitors’ Guide received the Best Printed Collateral Material award at the 2012 Ontario Tourism Awards.
With its “guide to new adventure,” Tourism Sault Ste. Marie effectively communicated that there is truly “something for everyone to do in the Soo”.
This vacation planner and visitor guide set itself apart from traditional tourism publications by focusing on unique insights into the community and communicating the quality of local tourism experiences via compelling editorial features and photography.
The new approach meant a guide filled with stories and deeper information on major attractions, festivals, accommodations and businesses.
As a result, the 2011 guide became the most requested Visitors’ Guide to Sault Ste. Marie.
The Ontario Tourism Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in the multi-billion dollar tourism industry, which is a key contributor to Ontario’s economic prosperity.
Nominations were open to all organizations or individuals in the tourism industry operating in Ontario and were judged by an independent, third-party panel of industry and marketing experts.
The Ontario Tourism Awards’ marketing category is sponsored by Smart Serve Ontario, a dedicated advocate for responsible alcohol service in the Ontario hospitality industry.
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“Tourism Sault Ste. Marie used the power of storytelling to bring this increasingly popular northern destination to life for its readers and to really draw people into the idea of visiting,” said Ronald Holgerson, interim president and CEO of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation.
Quick facts
Tourism is an important part of Ontario's economy, supporting over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to preliminary numbers.
According to preliminary results, visits to Ontario increased by 1.4 percent to 105.2 million for the year 2011 over 2010.
Preliminary results show that tourism receipts increased by 4.8 percent in 2011 to over $23 billion.
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Pictured: Following the awards presentation are (R to L) the Honourable Michael Chan, Ontario Minister of Tourism and Culture; Ian McMillan, executive director of Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, a division of the Economic Development Corp.; and Tara Lucarelli, tourism partnership co-ordinator for Tourism Sault Ste. Marie.
