Eight stories. One remarkable tourism region.

Explorers’ Edge puts forward eight examples of tourism leadership for provincial recognition

BRACEBRIDGE, ON – October 7, 2026 – From Indigenous-led cultural experiences and rural dark-sky tourism to environmental stewardship, inclusive hospitality, agritourism and building the next generation of Ontario’s tourism workforce, eight stories from across the Explorers’ Edge region have been submitted for recognition through the 2026 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence.

Presented as part of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario’s annual Ontario Tourism Summit, the provincial awards recognize the people, businesses, organizations, experiences and partnerships making outstanding contributions to Ontario’s visitor economy.

For Explorers’ Edge, the nominations are not about collecting awards or simply showcasing organizational work. They are an opportunity to shine a light on the people and partnerships doing meaningful work within the region — and to ensure their ideas, leadership and contributions become part of a larger conversation within Ontario’s tourism industry.

“Industry awards should never simply be about bragging rights,” said James Murphy, CEO of Explorers’ Edge. “Their real value is in taking the time to recognize work that deserves to be seen, sharing ideas that others can learn from and celebrating the people who continue to move tourism forward. These eight nominations are very different from one another, but together they tell an incredible story about the creativity, leadership and collaboration happening across our region.”

The eight nominations span communities, organizations and individuals from across the Explorers’ Edge geography:

Nokomis in Residence – Georgian Bay Islands National Park
An Indigenous-led cultural tourism experience creating opportunities for visitors to learn directly from Indigenous women knowledge keepers through storytelling, cultural teachings, traditional skills and meaningful personal connection. The nomination recognizes Parks Canada and the Indigenous knowledge keepers and partners who have built an experience grounded in cultural integrity, relationships and place.

Witches Walk – Downtown Bracebridge
A signature autumn experience that transforms downtown Bracebridge through costumes, creativity, local businesses and community participation. The event demonstrates how an entire downtown can become part of the visitor experience while generating meaningful activity for businesses during the fall shoulder season.

Bala Bay Inn – Kieren Day
Under Kieren Day’s leadership, the historic Bala Bay Inn has emerged as an important gathering place for 2SLGBTQIA+ celebration and cultural expression in rural Muskoka. Through drag performances and inclusive programming, the business has demonstrated the role tourism operators can play in creating visibility, belonging and more welcoming rural communities.

Brooklands Farm
A family farm connecting visitors with Muskoka’s agricultural heritage through food, farm-based experiences and storytelling. The nomination recognizes Brooklands Farm’s work strengthening the relationship between tourism, agriculture, local production and a distinctive sense of place.

Friends of the Muskoka Watershed
An organization bringing together science, education, volunteer participation and practical environmental action to help protect the landscapes and waterways central to Muskoka’s communities and visitor economy. Its work demonstrates how environmental stewardship can become a shared and achievable community responsibility.

Rebecca Francis – Sustainable Tourism Leadership
A former member of the Explorers’ Edge team whose work helped make sustainability practical and achievable for tourism operators across the region. Through educational programming, operator engagement, storytelling, funding development and the expansion of a regional GreenStep cohort, Francis helped businesses move from conversations about sustainability toward measurable action.

Almaguin Summer Star Party
A collaborative rural tourism experience built around one of the Almaguin Highlands’ most extraordinary natural assets: its dark skies. Combining astronomy, education, outdoor experiences, hospitality and community programming, the Star Party creates new reasons to travel while demonstrating the potential of thoughtful rural destination development.

Lakehead University and Parks Canada Tourism SHSM Program
A partnership connecting secondary school students with post-secondary education, national historic sites and real-world tourism career opportunities. Delivered with students from Bracebridge and Huntsville, the initiative responds to tourism workforce challenges while demonstrating the opportunities available when educators, public institutions and the tourism industry work together.

Together, the nominations reflect a broader approach to destination development that extends beyond traditional tourism marketing. They demonstrate how tourism can support community development, sustainability, reconciliation, workforce development, rural economic activity, inclusion and the protection and celebration of the places people travel to experience.

“Our Board sees these nominations as a reflection of the extraordinary people and organizations working throughout this region,” said Sarah North-Harris, Chair of the Explorers’ Edge Board of Directors. “Recognition matters because so much of the best work in tourism happens through collaboration, often quietly, over many years, and with many people contributing. Bringing these stories forward allows us to celebrate that work as an industry and, hopefully, inspire more of it.”

The Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence are presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). Finalists for the 2026 awards will be announced in The Globe and Mail on Saturday, October 10, with finalists and winners celebrated during the Ontario Tourism Awards Gala at the Ontario Tourism Summit in Ottawa on October 22.

“Provincial awards give Ontario’s tourism industry an important opportunity to recognize excellence, share ideas and celebrate the people and organizations strengthening our visitor economy,” said Andrew Siegwart, President & CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. “The value of these awards extends beyond the finalists and winners. They allow our industry to learn from one another, recognize leadership happening in communities across the province and celebrate the innovation and collaboration that continue to make Ontario a destination of choice.”

Explorers’ Edge has created a collection of short videos highlighting each nomination and the people and organizations behind them.

Watch the eight stories:
https://explorersedge.ca/news/eight-stories-one-remarkable-tourism-region/

“Whether any of these nominations ultimately receives an award is secondary,” added Murphy. “Putting these stories forward says that this work matters. It gives us an opportunity to recognize people who are investing their time, creativity and leadership into tourism and into their communities. That is something worth celebrating.”

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About Explorers’ Edge

Explorers’ Edge is Ontario’s Regional Tourism Organization 12, supporting tourism development across Muskoka, West Parry Sound, the Almaguin Highlands, Loring-Restoule, South Algonquin and Algonquin Park. Through destination development, partnerships, visitor transportation, sustainable and regenerative tourism initiatives, and its consumer brand The Great Canadian Wilderness, Explorers’ Edge works with communities and tourism operators to build a stronger and more resilient visitor economy.

Media Contact:
James Murphy
CEO, Explorers’ Edge
[email protected]