The Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA) has announced the finalists for the 2025 Ottawa Valley Tourism Awards. These awards recognize individuals, organizations, and events that support the growth of tourism in the region and offer outstanding experiences to visitors.
First established in 2014, the awards celebrate collaboration and innovation in the tourism industry. Nominations were submitted from across the Ottawa Valley in six categories, including Tourism Champion, Business or Organization of the Year, Event of the Year, New Tourism Product, Tourism Marketing Award, and Sustainability Champion Award.
A panel made up of County Council and OVTA Board of Directors members, including Warden Peter Emon, Councillors Rob Weir and James Brose, selected the finalists for each category.
Tourism Champion finalists include Jill McLellan, co-founder of Watch My 6 and owner of End of the Leash, Councillor Dan Lynch, and Meghan James, general manager of Somewhere Inn Calabogie.
The Business or Organization of the Year category includes The Portal, Airborne Petawawa, Ottawa Valley Air Paddle, and Splash Valley Waterpark and Resort.
Finalists for Event of the Year include Renfrew’s Craft Beer and Food Truck Festival, the Holiday Tailgate Market at the Petawawa Container Market, the Beachburg Fair, Downtown Pembroke Buskerfest, Arnprior Cultural Night Market, Hell or High Water, Water and Dirt Festival, Ottawa Valley Air Paddle PaddleFest, the Rio Tap and Grill Wednesday Night Summer Music Series, and Union 108 Yoga in the Park.
Whitewater O’Brien Winery, Wilderness Tours Bike Park, and Wilderness Tours Lazy River Tubing were named finalists in the New Tourism Product category.
Tourism Marketing finalists include Mount Molson Dairy Bar, Laurel Cook of Bonnechere Valley Inspired, Airborne Petawawa, and the City of Pembroke.
Tourism Awards Chair Joel Kowalski thanked everyone who submitted nominations, stating that the awards highlight the value of tourism to the local economy and celebrate what makes the Ottawa Valley unique.
Winners, including the recipient of the Sustainability Champion Award, will be announced at the OVTA’s Annual General Meeting and Tourism Awards celebration on April 29 at the Neat Coffee Shop in Burnstown. The event is open to all OVTA members.
The Ottawa Valley Tourist Association is the official destination marketing organization for the Upper Ottawa Valley, representing over 300 tourism-related businesses. The OVTA is supported by the County of Renfrew, local municipalities, and the City of Pembroke. For more information, visit www.ottawavalley.travel.
(Written by: Emma Butler)