City of Hamilton wins award for ‘Umbrella Academy’-inspired tourism campaign

A campaign inspired by Netflix’s Umbrella Academy to promote tourism in Hamilton has netted the city an award.

The 2021 Ontario Tourism Resiliency Awards honoured Hamilton’s tourism team with an Innovation award for the campaign that touted the city as a destination for filming and tourism.

The newly named Ontario Tourism Resiliency Awards recognizes the achievements of tourism businesses and marketing organizations that responded to the considerable obstacles and challenges of the pandemic in meaningful ways throughout 2020.

Hamilton’s award-winning campaign offered a glimpse of ‘A Perfect Day in Hamilton’ according to Umbrella Academy actor and Hamilton resident, T.J. McGibbon, who highlighted her favourite places to eat and play across the city.

It also provided an interactive map to all 38 locations in Hamilton where the tremendously popular Netflix show was shot.

“It is an honour to be recognized among the many hard-working tourism and hospitality peers across the province, especially for work done during a year that was challenging to so many in our industry,” said Carrie Brooks-Joiner, Director, Tourism and Culture in a City of Hamilton press release.

“We share this award with all the tourism businesses in Hamilton who continue to inspire us with their creative resilience and help the city shine.”

 

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The Hamilton attraction Treetop Trekking in Binbrook was also a winner at this year’s Tourism Awards.

This is the second year in a row the popular ziplining adventure park was named Ontario’s Attraction of the Year, as voted by in the people’s choice category.

“2020 will be remembered as a year like no other, especially for the Hamilton Tourism Industry,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger in the release.

“This award highlights the fantastic work and adaptability of the tourism division despite new and evolving obstacles. Hamilton’s tourism industry continues to provide support to our city even though the pandemic.”

The awards were presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) in partnership with Destination Ontario.

To check out the winning tourism campaign and to find out where McGibbon’s favourite places in Hamilton are, visit Hamilton Tourism’s website.