Let’s Go Ottawa
Ottawa on video
- Thursday, 03 November 2011 17:42
- Written by Jantine Van Kregten
We’ve come across a couple great Ottawa-themed videos in the past few days that we wanted to share. The first is an ode to Ottawa by local rapper The Joynt called Capcity:
And this one is great, too — featuring a couple of young Ottawa soccer players showing off their impressive skills in front of some of the region’s most popular attractions.
Stars of the City shine at annual celebration of customer service excellence
- Thursday, 27 October 2011 17:44
- Written by Jantine Van Kregten
Over 400 tourism industry insiders gathered last night at the Algonquin College School of Hospitality & Tourism to celebrate the achievements of front-line staff during the 16th annual Ottawa Tourism Stars of the City Recognition Evening.
A total of 1,052 nominations were received from residents and visitors to the region over the past year, nominating front-line staff from 89 businesses for their real-life examples of excellence in customer service. Everyone who is nominated as a Star of the City received a gold “star” lapel pin, a symbol of customer service excellence here in Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region.
An independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders decided among 22 finalists to award the ultimate “Star of the City 2011” as well as winners in the following 8 categories.
OTTAWA TOURISM’S 2011 STAR OF THE CITY
Grand Prize Sponsored by the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association
Paul Norris – Lord Elgin Hotel
Paul Norris’s story: On a cold February night, a local restaurant was hosting a student group for dinner. When it came time for them to move on for skating on the Rideau Canal, the tour guide and teachers left a student behind. After spending time trying to reach the tour company, the student let the restaurant staff know that the group was staying at the Lord Elgin Hotel. When Paul was contacted at the hotel, he offered to go to the Canal and find the group. In spite of the cold weather, snowy conditions, hundreds of tourists and darkness of night, Paul found the group and called the restaurant to inform them of their location. The student was quickly reunited with his group.
WHAT’S LOST IS FOUND Sponsored by: Rideau Centre
Paul Norris – Lord Elgin Hotel
See above.
ABOVE & BEYOND Sponsored by: Algonquin College, School of Hospitality & Tourism
Christopher Ward – Lord Elgin Hotel
After a canoe trip on the Ottawa River took an unexpected turn with the guests spending 20 minutes in the water before being rescued by one of the other canoes, the guests returned to the Lord Elgin Hotel. Christopher organized to have their wet clothes washed and dried and contacted the Australian Foreign Affairs department in Australia to find out how the guest could replace their damaged passports. He arranged for the memory card from the cameras to be copied to a DVD as the camera was beyond repair. The next day, Christopher came to the Lord Elgin on his own time to take the guests on a walking tour of Ottawa to show them sights they had missed on their tour.
STARS WITH HEART Sponsored by: Carleton University Conference Services
Kristine Thomas – Minto Hospitality Group
Kristine made a guest’s family Christmas very memorable. A long-stay guest at the Minto Furnished Suites was unable to accommodate her 12 family members in her one-bedroom suite for dinner. Kristine arranged for a suite to accommodate all of them complete with a Christmas tree, garland, wreaths and decorations that she brought from home. Kristine personally bought a dog stocking and treats for the daughter’s new puppy.
GOOD CITIZEN Sponsored by: Ottawa Citizen
Anthony Vitanza – Ottawa International Airport Authority
Anthony joined the Infoguide program at the Ottawa International Airport Authority in 2003 when he was still a student. Despite the fact that he was their youngest volunteer, his gregarious nature and exuberance endeared him to the entire team. These same traits have also made him popular with passengers at the airport. Anthony has been nominated several times as a Star of the City and the airport has received numerous letters of praise. From staying late after his shift, to fixing someone’s car, to tracking down a lost item, Anthony doesn’t think twice before going the extra mile. One passenger said: “Too often we complain about service received from public institutions and organizations, and so it gives me the greatest pleasure to offer my compliments and commendations to your airport and this young man for service above and beyond the call of duty.”
GO THE EXTRA MILE Sponsored by: Ottawa International Airport Authority
Patrick Douville – The Westin Ottawa
This guest’s flight was cancelled and they were re-routed to their final destination – Ottawa. Due to the changes with their flights, their baggage containing their prescription medication and clothes didn’t make it to Ottawa with them. Patrick made countless phone calls to the airline and received different information about the whereabouts of the baggage each time. Finally the guests learned that the bags were at the airport but the airline wasn’t sure where. After Patrick’s shift he went to the airport to look for the bags. At first he was told the bags weren’t there but Patrick insisted that they check one more time. Surprisingly his persistence paid off and the bags were found. He then took the time to drive the bags back to the Westin and deliver them to the guests.
HOST(ESS) WITH THE MOST(EST) Sponsored by: Downtown Rideau BIA
Meme Guerrini – Hilton Garden Inn – Ottawa International Airport
This guest had been transferred to Ottawa for work. Meme helped the guest find local real estate websites, went to the local corner store on her break and picked up real estate magazines and bought the guest a big piece of chocolate cake to help with the stress of being far from family. This guest had spent more time at the Hilton Garden Inn – Ottawa International Airport than at home recently as she transitioned to a new job. When her family joined her for a weekend in Ottawa, Meme sent them a cheese and fruit tray and coupons for free breakfasts for the weekend.
EVENING STAR Sponsored by: Casino du Lac-Leamy
Christopher Ward – Lord Elgin Hotel
One of Christopher’s 38 nominations summed up his standard of service with the following:
“From the time we checked in to when we left four days later, he provided us with such welcoming and gracious guidance that we felt we had a personal concierge.”
STAR PROPERTY Sponsored by: Ottawa Hotels of the Westmont Hospitality Group
Casino du Lac-Leamy
Customers from Ottawa and beyond continue to rave about the professionalism, friendliness and the initiative taken by the staff to please each and every guest.
Category winners received a beautiful award along with a $250 Shop Card courtesy of Rideau Centre. The overall 2011 Star of the City receives another $250 Shop Card from Rideau Centre and an all-inclusive trip for two to the sunny south courtesy of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association.
Paul Norris of the Lord Elgin Hotel, Ottawa Tourism's 2011 Star of the City! CREDIT: Teckles PhotographyOttawa Tourism and National Capital Commission win Ontario Tourism Awards
- Wednesday, 05 October 2011 17:49
- Written by Jantine Van Kregten
Ottawa Tourism and the National Capital Commission were victorious in two categories at the Ontario Tourism Awards gala held at the Hamilton Convention Centre on October 4. Ottawa Tourism accepted the award for Best Tourism Advertising and the National Capital Commission accepted the Tourism Innovator of the Year Award for their popular Mosaika Sound and Light Show.
“It is extremely gratifying to have the work of our Ottawa Tourism team and that of our agency of record, Mediaplus Advertising, recognized by the province in front of our peers,” says Noel Buckley, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “Similarly, the accolades for Mosaika—a spectacular summer attraction in Canada’s capital that we heavily promote—are well-deserved.”
This is not the first success for Ottawa Tourism with these awards. In 2008 and 2010, they took home the gold award in the Best Tourism Advertising category, and silver in the same category in both 2006 and 2007. In 2009, they were a finalist for Best Interactive Marketing. In 2010, Savour Ottawa won the Culinary Tourism Leadership Award, and was a finalist in 2009, the category’s inaugural year.
The awards were presented at the annual Ontario Tourism Summit, which ended today. The Summit, hosted by the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), is a forum for the provincial tourism industry to gain insights on the latest trends and ideas as well as celebrate excellence and innovation.
New water taxi service links Ottawa – Gatineau – Casino
- Friday, 16 September 2011 17:51
- Written by Jantine Van Kregten
The Gatineau dock (with beautiful view of Parliament Hill) for Au feel de l'eau's new environmentally friendly electric aquabus.
The Gatineau dock (with beautiful view of Parliament Hill) for Au feel de l'eau's new environmentally friendly electric aquabus.A new water taxi service is linking sites along the Ottawa and Gatineau Rivers. Au feel de l’eau operates a pollution-free electric boat that can hold up to 12 passengers, 2 wheelchairs and 4 bicycles.
Until October 9, it departs each morning at 9am from the Casino du Lac-Leamy, and arrives at the Ottawa wharf (located where the Rideau Canal empties into the Ottawa River, near the Bytown Museum) around 10:00am. At 10:15am, it begins to shuttle back and forth between Ottawa and a site on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River near the Canadian Museum of Civilization until 12:20 when it departs Ottawa for the Casino again.
At 1:30pm, it leaves the Casino and between 2:35 and 6:15pm, it shuttles back-and-forth between Ottawa and Gatineau. The final run from Ottawa to the Casino departs at 6:15pm, arriving at 7:15pm.
If weather conditions permit, the company will continue the Ottawa-Gatineau shuttles for an additional week, until October 16. In 2012, the service will run between May and October.
The cost is $5 per person (tax included) for the Ottawa-Gatineau shuttles and $15 per person for the Ottawa-Casino shuttles.
The company also offers private group bookings.
UPDATE (September 18): Until further notice, the water taxi will operate in the afternoon only!
Savour Ottawa Harvest Table a success!
- Wednesday, 14 September 2011 17:55
- Written by Jantine Van Kregten
On Sunday, August 28, a delicious family-style meal was served to 100 lucky gourmands at the first-ever Savour Ottawa Harvest Table. Savour Ottawa is a group that works to identify and promote locally grown, raised and produced food. They promote local area farmers; restaurants/caterers who show a commitment to buying local goods; and retailers who sell local food.
The Harvest Table event was the group’s first public event. Up to now, most of their work has been done behind the scenes, linking chefs and farmers and creating new business opportunities.
But on that Sunday — while Hurricane Irene skirted the east coast and produced a chillier-than-normal overcast day in Ottawa — guests were treated to a multi-course feast under tents and on tables decorated with burlap and fresh wildflowers.
The food was amazing — from an antipasti plate of local meats and cheeses to fresh salads bursting with flavour to 3 delicious main courses (wild boar and beef and mushroom tourte) to delectable desserts. Guests also received two sample tickets they could use to indulge in local favourites, Kichesippi Beer or Domaine Perrault wine. They could also enjoy some fresh corn-on-the-cob with gourmet butters.
Mayor Jim Watson and Councillors Maria McRae, Doug Thompson and Katherine Hobbs also attended. Mayor Watson and Councillor McRae announced the $10 Local Challenge, encouraging Ottawans to spend $10 per household on local food.
Ontario author Lynn Ogryzlo, whose cookbook The Ontario Table, is a work of art devoted to Ontario farmers and chefs, created the $10 local challenge across the province — if every household were to spend that $10 per week on local food, at the end of the year, that would mean $2.4 billion in the province’s economy. Lynn was on-hand to sign copies of her book.
Enjoy this short video with highlights of the Harvest Table event:
