HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2015-03-11, Page 9Wednesday, March 11, 2015 • News Record 9
Huron's annual tourism industry event will focus on hospitable Huron
Tourism is the world's largest
industry with revenues of over
$500 billion including travel,
tourism and hospitality busi-
nesses. In Huron County tour-
ism is a major economic driver
welcoming over one million visi-
tors to our region annually.
Tourism businesses are invited
to join the Huron Tourism Asso-
ciation (HTA) as they present
Hospitable Huron - We've got it!
Let's flaunt it! at the 26th Annual
Tourism Event and Brochure
Swap in Huron County, on Tues-
day, April 14, 2015 from 8:45 AM
until 3:00 PM at the Zurich (Blue -
water) Arena and Community
Centre.
The event will kick-off with an
update from Huron Tourism
Association (HTA) President,
Kim Burgsma, and continue with
the keynote presentation Nostal-
gia, Technology, and all the little
things in between; what's the
draw and how to get them back
for more with Rebecca Wise &
Victor Barry of Dining INNvasion
fame.
Rebecca Wise earned a mas-
ter's degree in Media Studies at
the University of Western
Ontario. She learned her busi-
ness from the ground up, work-
ing as a banquet server in school
before she began managing
events under renowned Toronto
event planner and caterer David
Vallee (TV's Rich Bride, Poor
Bride). Rebecca also worked for a
luxury cruise agency and a desti-
nation wedding planning agency,
planning events world-wide
before launching her own busi-
ness, Event Wise. She also works
with resort owners on Cottage
Life's hit show Dining INNvasion
to develop "event" nights geared
to draw out-of-town guests and
also local residents. Rebecca syn-
thesizes concepts into an excit-
ing and cohesive design, creating
extraordinary events time after
time!
Victor Barry has seen both
ends of the food spectrum, start-
ing out as a student at his uncle's
Volcano pizzeria in Niagara Falls
"basically just to keep him out of
trouble." There he learned the
basics of food preparation and
customer service. He went to the
Prince of Wales Hotel in
Niagara -on -the -Lake as a high
school co-op student, and was
eventually hired by executive
chef Lee Parsons. "I was a sponge
at that point because I didn't
know anything, so anything I
could learn about any kind of
food, I took in," he says. After two
years as Chef de Partie at Eng-
land's Gidleigh Park Hotel, Barry
was asked to join the kitchen at
Splendido - one of Toronto's top
end fine dining restaurants,
which he co -purchased in 2009,
and became sole owner of in Jan-
uary 2014. "What's difficult in the
restaurant scene is keeping your-
self relevant," he says. "You learn
how to be not only a chef, but a
businessman, a mentor, a good
manager and leader."
Participants will proceed to the
morning Familiarization Trips,
choosing one of three themed
tours:
"Tasting it" - in Historic Zurich
- Zurich, founded in 1856, is
known for its Swiss heritage,
reflected in some of the architec-
ture. Guests will enjoy a guided
historical tour of the down -town
area of Zurich. "
"Making it" - in Creative Hensall
- Firmly rooted in the heart of
Huron County's agricultural land
sits Hensall, the White Bean Cap-
ital of Canada and home to the
country's largest inland granary!
But that's not all. You'll also find
a thriving garlic industry at the
Garlic Box; explore ice at Icecul-
ture; discover innovations at
Metzgers; and celebrate culture
at the historic Hensall Opera
House.
"Discovering it" - on the Bluewater
Shoreline
The beautiful waters of the
Bluewater Shoreline beckon
tourists and residents to the lake
all year round. Businesses
located along the Highway 21
corridor promise family fun, fab-
ulous food, destination weddings
or rich local stories about the
French settlement at St. Joseph.
Meanwhile in the beautiful town
of Bayfield, the oldest continu-
ally operating Inn in Ontario still
opens its doors to welcome
guests and new niche businesses
add a modern esthetic to the old
world charm of this heritage
village.
Two awards are presented dur-
ing this annual event: an Annual
Tourism Development Award
presented to a business that
demonstrates leadership, crea-
tive inventions, partnership ini-
tiatives, community impact and
excellence in the tourism indus-
try and the Tourism Champion
Award, presented to an owner,
operator, staff or volunteer of a
business, attraction or special
event who advocates for local
tourism initiatives. Businesses
are asked to nominate those who
are worthy of these awards by
March 20th (Forms available
from Rachel Lynn at 519.524.8394
x3 or rlynn@huroncounty.ca).
The day also includes a buffet
lunch prepared by Chef Frank
Ihrig of Hessenland with desserts
made by Jerry Rader's, a silent
1 111' 1 1 1 111
Makea. D' Brice
C
to,
auction and the Brochure Swap -
an opportunity to distribute pro-
motional literature to other busi-
nesses and promoters. "As a
tourism business operator, it's
important that you and your staff
are educated on what's available
in the area," says co-ordinator
Karen Stewart. "It helps to pro-
vide the best customer service
experience to visitors."
This event provides a great
opportunity for businesses to
collect material, distribute bro-
chures and network with other
businesses in the county who can
promote tourism businesses to
clients, friends and family who
are visiting Ontario's West Coast.
The 2015 Ontario's West Coast
Vacation Guide will be available
for pick-up that day along with
the other specialty brochures
such as fishing/paddling, hiking,
cycling, Shakespeare to the
Shoreline, the Huron -Perth "Buy
Local Buy Fresh" map and the
Huron -Perth Garden Touring
brochure.
"This year, we're proud to
highlight the Municipality of
Bluewater," says Cindy Fisher,
Huron County Tourism Co-ordi-
nator. The annual tourism
industry event is hosted in a dif-
ferent community each year to
showcase what great things each
area can offer to residents and
visitors to Huron County.
This business -to -business
event is hosted by the Huron
Tourism Association in partner-
ship with the County of Huron;
the Municipality of Bluewater
and Ontario Lottery and Gaming
(OLG). Many other businesses
also contribute to its success
year -after -year.
For registration information
visit www.ontarioswestcoast.ca
or call 519-524-8394 ext.3; regis-
tration deadline: March 27, 2015.
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