Ontario’s Southwest Signature Experience Program
What is the Ontario’s Southwest (OSW) Signature Experience program?
The OSW Signature Experience program was created with the purpose of featuring unique experiences within the region who demonstrate examples of exceptional service that are likely to exceed customers’ expectations, offer genuine interactions with the experience host, and create lasting memories.
Applications are open from April 29th until May 19th at 5:00pm.
Who are the OSW Signature Experiences?
We have a total of 12 experiences involved in the OSW Signature Experience Program. Explore the current Signature Experiences below!
Beyond the Vase at Hat Trick Farms
Victorian House Guest Experience at Cottonwood Mansion
Harvest Brunch at Thames River Melons
Sahel to Soul: A Culinary Experience at Yaya's Kitchen
Nith Whitewater Experiential Learning Adventure by Grand Experiences
A Taste of Farm Life at Udderly Ridiculous
Wildcraft Tea Adventure at Homegrown Hideaway
Awaken Your Spirit: A Spirit Horse Encounter at TJ Stables
Picnics in the Patch by Berrylicious Fruit Farm
From Tree to Table at Ottercreek Woodworks
Cut Your Own Flower Farm Experience at Makkink's Sunflower Farms
Hike 42 at North 42 Degrees Estate Winery
What is an experience?
Programming is generally centered around one or more of the following four things:
Providing access to a special place
Sharing a skill that’s been crafted by the host
Putting purpose behind passion (e.g., eating local food, crafting with a local artisan, cultural immersion, exploring nature)
Has a focus on being transformational, engaging and immersive - inviting guests to not only be a part of it but become active and engaged
The host brings an element to an experience that cannot be replicated
The experience must be bookable and have a clear outline of value proposition
What does it mean to be an OSW Signature Experience?
All accredited experiences will be able to use the newly created OSW Signature Experience logo. This logo is a stamp of approval that communicates to your customers the high-quality value of your experience.
You will join a group of elite experience hosts whose knowledge you can tap into.
Successful OSW Signature Experience applicants will have opportunities for additional exposure in OSW’s marketing efforts e.g., social media, paid advertising, website, email blasts, etc.
Required Criteria
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The experience has ideally been in market for a minimum of one year.
The organization must be in good standing with your local municipality, and follow all required bylaws, including business licensing, health and safety regulations, and zoning laws.
When able, sites, facilities and services should be accessible to all, including persons with disabilities and others who have specific access requirements or other special needs. Please visit the AODA website for additional information.
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Documented processes in place to ensure the delivery of quality customer service.
Processes established to ensure customer inquiries are addressed promptly and accurately.
Procedures to engage with visitors prior to participation, ensuring they understand what is required for the experience.
Follow-up communication practices in place to connect with visitors after they have participated in the experience.
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It is encouraged that you have a collection of images/video content to share with OSW and your local Destination Management Organization (DMO) for marketing purposes.
Must have a webpage to promote the experience and accept inquiries/bookings.
Have a minimum of one active business social media account that is used to promote the experience (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
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The organization takes actions to be more sustainable when hosting the experience.
It is encouraged that the organization have a sustainability policy and an idea of how they want to continue making improvements to their sustainability efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Yes, we ask that you submit an application for each experience that you offer since the stamp is awarded to a specific experience as opposed to an entire business.
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Once your application has been processed, you will be notified by email on whether or not you have been accepted into the OSW Signature Experience program. If successful, you will be asked to send photography of your experience (if available).
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All experiences that have been operating for less than a year are welcome to apply to the OSW Signature Experience Program as long as you are able to provide a detailed description of your experience, identify if you have completed experiential tourism training, and demonstrate your strategy for evaluating improvements that need to be made.
