Three candidates who won the Simcoe County "Spark" competition received a $3,000 seed cash and mentorship to help them get started with their innovative tourism ideas.

Tourism Simcoe County, Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7), and the Tourism Innovation Lab have teamed up to create the Simcoe County "Spark" Mentorships and Grants Program.

The program's purpose is to develop, foster, and support new tourist concepts, experiences, and collaborations that will complement present offers, alleviate gaps or issues, encourage travel and longer stays, and boost year-round visitors to the region.

Fourteen submissions were submitted, and the best five were selected to showcase their innovative tourism concepts in virtual pitch sessions on Wednesday. The three successful bids were chosen by a judging panel consisting of tourist executives, partner representatives, and one entrepreneur from outside the region.

The winners of the Simcoe County "Spark" program for 2022 are:

Alex McLaughlin, Alexandra McLaughlin, Alexandra McLaughlin, Alexandra McLaughlin (Come Paint With Me Experiences)
Lavender Fox's Svetlana Lazareva (Year-Round Nature Adventures)
Ternent, Tyneisha (Simcoe County Poetry Concerts)
Selected candidates have access to a network of tourism innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders across the province, in addition to seed cash, mentorship, and additional partner support.