Tourism PEI has tapped local talent, chef Michael Smith, to promote the region with a new 24-episode web series called Food Country.
Launched in early January at PEIflavours.ca, Food Country is meant to highlight the culinary charms of the island and inspire foodies in Ontario, Quebec and the eastern seaboard of the U.S. to visit, says Sebastian Manago, director, culinary, Tourism PEI.
“We’re a small province, with a small budget for advertising and marketing, so we have to do something interesting,” he says. Tourism PEI is relying on social networks, PR and word-of-mouth to promote Food Country, with help from Vancouver-based B*Co Communications.
Smith, famous for his several Food Network Canada shows (including Chef Abroad and Chef at Home) and bestselling cookbooks, is also the official food ambassador of PEI and the host of the province’s Fall Flavours Festival.
Although Food Country is web-only for now, Tourism PEI is looking into the possibility of a future TV broadcast partnership, Manago says.