The CTA Warmly Welcomes Ian Worte, our New Research & Engagement Coordinator
Ian Worte, the Culinary Tourism Alliance’s new Research and Engagement Coordinator, joins the team with a wide range of travel, political and academic experience.
Ian is a researcher who combines his extensive quantitative and qualitative experience with his love of travel and cultural exploration. He has a passion for culinary and agritourism destination development, and he is eager to grapple with some of the biggest challenges in tourism like sustainability, affordability, and accessibility.
Ian grew up in rural Dufferin County until his postsecondary education took him to Ottawa to study public affairs, policy management and strategic public opinion analysis at Carleton University. He then went to Toronto where he did a Masters degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto. Notable adventures from his early career included traveling through the United States as a campaign organizer and outreach coordinator on Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign. He also had the privilege of traveling to South Sudan shortly after it gained independence to help manage the county’s first national public opinion research project. These experiences, along with several years working directly with clients at one of Canada’s leading public opinion research firms, formed the foundation of Ian’s diverse research career.
After more than 10 years of experience leading quantitative and qualitative research projects at several organizations, Ian returned to school to do a Master of Economic Development & Innovation degree at the University of Waterloo. He focused his studies on rural tourism, sustainable tourism, and the roles that local gastronomy, agricultural products and craft alcohol can play in community economic development. Ian’s degree culminated in a semester-long project researching and identifying culinary, rural and agritourism assets and opportunities in a rural county in Ontario.
Ian has been lucky to have traveled widely and enjoyed some unique culinary experiences along the way. He understands though that some of the most enriching culinary experiences can be found much closer to home, and in places you wouldn’t expect. Ian is passionate about discovering the unique and enriching culinary experiences that all destinations have to offer. He is eager to work with destinations to help cultivate these experiences and share them with the world.