Growing Ontario Culinary Tourism One Bite at a Time

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Growing Ontario Culinary Tourism One Bite at a
Time
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Agenda

• Overview of the Ontario Strategy.
• Formation of OCTA.
• Manitoulin LaCloche

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Vision

• Ontario will be the destination of choice for
  travellers seeking to enrich their understanding
  of diverse regions and cultures through authentic
  culinary experiences.

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Mission

• Help build sustain regional identities,
  agricultural resources.
• Present opportunities to develop new quality
  tourism products and experiences.
• Become a way in which we tell our story and
  share it with pride.

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Culinary Tourism

• Culinary tourism includes any tourism
  experience in which one learns about, appreciates
  and/or consumes food and drink that reflects the
  local, regional, or national cuisine, heritage,
  culture, tradition or culinary techniques.

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Research Based Strategy

• Quebec
• South Australia
• Oregon
• Scotland/A Taste of Scotland
• South Africa
• Nova Scotia/Taste of Nova Scotia
• British Columbia

• SAVOUR Muskoka
• Northern Lights Food Group
• Branding Manitoulin
• SAVOUR Ontario
• The Niagara Culinary Alliance
• Prince Edward County

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Key Recommendations

• Establish leadership and organization
• Develop market ready tourism products
• Invest in research performance indicators
• Invest in education training
• Develop a culinary tourism marketing plan
• Build awareness of culinary tourism
• Strengthen communication among stakeholders
• Increase funding mechanisms

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Accomplishments to Date

• Provincial Summit.
• Fostered collaboration with Ministry of Tourism
  Ministry of Agriculture.
• Website www.savourontario.org Committee
  governance structure in place.
• OCTA-Growing,membership based, industry lead
  alliance of 17 industry and regional
  organizations representing over 10,000 Ontario
  businesses.

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Accomplishments to Date OCTA Board
Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association,
Ontario Farm Fresh, Ontario Fruit Vegetable
Growers Association, Wine Council of Ontario,
Ontario Cattlefeeders Association, Ontarios
Finest Inns, Ontario Hostelry Institute, Ryerson
University, George Brown College, Greater Ottawa
Region, Greater Toronto Region, Niagara Region,
Muskoka/Parry Sound Region, Prince Edward County,
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food Rural
Affairs, Ontario Ministry of Tourism.
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OCTA Members

• Ontario Fruit Vegetable Growers Association
• Ontario Farm Fresh
• Resorts of Ontario
• Toronto Tourism
• Savour Ottawa
• Taste the County
• Savour Ontario Dining
• Niagara Culinary Trail
• Ontarios Finest Inns Spas

• Ontario Wine Council
• Norfolk County
• Ontario Cattle Feeders Association
• Ontario Hostelry Institute
• Savour Muskoka
• Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association
• GTA AAC
• Treeline Foods

Representing over 10,000 businesses and growing
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Accomplishments to Date

• Circ 450,000

• Circ 150,000

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For Immediate ReleaseMay 15, 2007'BUY ONTARIO'
FOODS THIS SUMMER Campaign To Promote Good,
Fresh, Homegrown Food TORONTO - The 'Buy Ontario'
message was on the menu of CITY-TV Breakfast
Television today, where Minister of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky prepared
a number of Ontario fresh food dishes. Just in
time for the first long weekend of the season,
the Minister showed viewers how easy it is to
create a great menu with Ontario food. "If we
all buy Ontario, everybody wins," said Minister
Dombrowsky. "We're getting healthy fresh food
from here at home and we're supporting our
farmers, our rural economy and our
environment." The Ontario government will be
putting the spotlight on the fresh, high-quality
foods grown and produced in the province this
summer with a new 'Buy Ontario' marketing
strategy. "Ontario's food producers grow, raise
and make excellent food products, and we want
people to know it," Dombrowsky added. "They also
make a tremendous contribution to our economy and
our rural communities." The government is
contributing 12.5 million to the strategy, which
includes a consumer awareness campaign designed
to increase interest and demand for local foods
across the province, expands the Foodland Ontario
program to more fresh food products, and boosts
the Savour Ontario program in fine and vacation
dining establishments. Of the total, 2.5 million
has already been distributed to a number of
agri-food industry associations to assist them in
promoting the sale of Ontario products. "We are
especially pleased to bring forward this strategy
on the 30th anniversary of the highly successful
Foodland Ontario program," Dombrowsky said.
"Everyone can participate in the 'Buy Ontario'
campaign - from the agri-food industry, to
retailers, restaurateurs and consumers - we all
have a role to play." - 30 -
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SAVOUR Muskoka Local Food Purchases
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Industry Website

• Ontario Culinary Tourism business to business
  website launched January 2008.
• Central repository for culinary tourism
  information.

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Recipe for Success-Discussion

• Leadership
• Market ready or near market ready culinary
  products and services
• An integrated strategy
• Partnership and community based collaboration
• Financial support and performance measures

• Destination with good access to key origin
  markets
• Sufficient market intelligence
• Culinary tourism resources that are distinct to
  the region
• Destinations with multiple culinary tourism
  experiences
• An effective destination marketing organization

SOURCE Ontario Culinary Tourism Strategy
Action Plan 2006
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Contact OCTA

• Provincial Coordinator Susan Benson
• [phone]
• sbenson_at_crandella.com
• OCTA Co-Chair Rebecca LeHeup-Bucknell
• [phone]
• rebecca.taste_at_bellnet.ca
• www.savourontario.org