Be a Tourist in your own community this Tourism Week

May 26 to June 2 Grey County is celebrating Tourism Week in collaboration with its tourism partners. This week-long event encourages residents to be tourists and experience local offerings in Grey County.

“Whether you’re a local adventurer, a staycation enthusiast or a veteran Visit Grey explorer, Tourism Week allows you to rediscover the amazing hidden gems our region has to offer,” said Grey County Warden Selwyn Hicks. “Tourism Week is also a chance to meet the people behind the incredible attractions in Grey County and discover sites and activities you never knew existed.”

Residents of Grey County can get involved on social media by using the hashtag #TourismMattersInGrey on their tourism related posts. Photos and posts can include anything from events, nature, visiting a favourite restaurant or experiencing a local winery or brewery to promote why tourism matters in our community. Also, residents can take the Tourist Challenge on www.visitgrey.ca to learn how to be a local tourism ambassador.

Grey County Tourism is attending a variety of events this week and throughout the month. Some tops include farmers’ markets, Billy Fest in Owen Sound, Boots and Brews in Hanover and Community Day at Blue Mountain Village. Locals and visitors can stop by the Grey County Tourism booth to take their picture with new hand-held Instagram photo frames. Radio ads airing each day of Tourism Week will recognize the importance of tourism and encourage residents to think about how they engage with local businesses and tourism opportunities in Grey County. Also, listeners will have the chance to win tourism themed prize packages offered on-air every day. Prizes include a season pass for Grey Sauble Conservation Authority, tasting tours at Coffin Ridge Vineyard & Winery and Thornbury Village Cider House, dinner for two at The Best Western Inn and activity passes for Blue Mountain Village.

The benefits of tourism in Grey County is a prominent theme of Tourism Week. Grey County officials are joining tourism industry stakeholders for several awareness events in local communities across the county, all celebrating the region’s tourism industry in the month of June.

“Tourism is a critical piece our economy. It provides many social, cultural and recreation benefits for the residents of Grey County,” explained Warden Hicks.

Canada's tourism sector plays an important part in the Canadian economy, supporting more than 1.8 million jobs in rural and urban communities. In the 2019 budget, the federal government identified tourism as one of the seven key industries to target for economic growth to create jobs for the middle class, giving tourism the same stature as other key parts of the Canadian economy, like digital, health, bio-sciences and advanced manufacturing. Tourism in Grey County is a $333.7 million industry supporting 8,868 tourism-related jobs. In 2016, 2.7 million people visited Grey County to experience the available four-season activities.

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For more information about Tourism Week in Grey County, contact Alison Theodore, Tourism Partner & Media Relations Specialist with Grey County, at Alison.Theodore [at] visitgrey.ca (Alison[dot]Theodore[at]visitgrey[dot]ca)  or 519-376-3365 ext. 6102.