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2026 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence

The Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence celebrate success and recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to Ontario’s tourism industry. Celebrating the award winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Tourism Champion of the Year Award, Air Canada Future Leader Award, and the Doug Smith Award.

2026 Awards of Excellence Finalists

Awards finalists and winners are revealed and celebrated at the Ontario Tourism Awards Gala at the 2026 Ontario Tourism Summit.

Arts & Culture Award of the Year
Centre in the Square
Holi Festival of Colour - St. Catharines Downtown Association
Legacy Beacon Streetcar No.351 – City of Windsor

Workforce Innovation and Collaboration Award
Tourism Reach Ahead and Sector Partner Experience – Lifelong Learning Lakehead University | Bethune Memorial Housse | Parks Canada
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island & Workforce Windsor Essex
Work in Quinte – Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board | City of Belleville | City of Quinte West

Attraction of the Year
The Canadian Canoe Museum
Niagara Parks
Rivershrike Inc o/a The Waterfront River Pub and Terrace and Napanee River Tours

Culinary & Agritourism Award of the Year
Capital City Bites - Ottawa tourism & Taste Ottawa
Katya and Ken Riley, Brooklands Farm
GRAZE Dinner - Lynn River Farm

Digital Marketing
Gather in Grey – Grey County Tourism
Let Me Show You the Hamilton I Love, Tourism Hamilton
Magic on Set – Ottawa Tourism

Event of the Year Award
Brighton Applefest - Municipality of Brighton
Niagara-on-the-Lake in Bloom - Vintage Hotels
Tall Ships Festival – Brockville Tourism

Indigenous Tourism Award of the Year
Nokomis in Residence
Walk Among the Trees
Woodland Cultural Centre

Innovator of the Year Award
Agritourism Ontario
Parks Canada (Laurier House National Historic Site) and Working Title Kitchen
Resorts of Ontario

Marketing Campaign – Over $50K
Brand Launch – Explore Waterloo Region
Gather in Grey – Grey County Tourism
Let Me Show You the Hamilton I Love – Tourism Hamilton

Marketing Campaign – Under $50K
Discover Lakeside Dining Campaign - Town of Innisfil
GET FREE GAS & Spending Spree - Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board
Severn Trail Towns - Kawarthas Northumberland Trent

Marketing Partnership
Birding in Muskoka Nature Takes Flight - Muskoka Tourism | Six Municipalities of Muskoka | Dale Wenger
Holiday Gift Guide - Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island | Invest Windsor Essex's Small Business | Entrepreneurship Centre
Ontario's Southwest Creator Getaway - Ontario's Southwest
Visit Mississauga | Sheraton Gateway Hotel | Square One

Rainbow Registered Award of the Year
Bala Bay Inn
Tourism Kingston

Sports Tourism of the Year Award
Call of Duty League Championship
CPKC Women's Open
BARBEGAZI

Sustainable Tourism Award of the Year
Elmhirst Resort
Evergreen Brick Works
Rebecca Francis

Tourism Influencer of the Year
Jennifer Shin
Jesse Walker
Nina Ngo
Saif Shawaf

Travel Media Story
Nature’s Embrace – Izabela Jaroszynski
Rooted Along the Bay – Izabela Jaroszynski
Witches’ Walk - Parry Sound Downtown Business Association – April Denman

Awards are jointly presented by:

Air Canada
Culinary Tourism Alliance Logo
Nieuport Aviation
Indigenous Tourism Ontario

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