Elora is known as one of southern Ontario’s tourism hot spots, but one Centre Wellington resident feels some of its best-kept secrets are overlooked. Natalie Airdrie has lived in the area for more than 30 years and has launched a new initiative called Postmark Trips to focus on some of the community’s hidden gems. “I was seeing people come to Elora and they were taking in all of the beauty of it and the shops, and I just knew that there was more for them to see,” Airdrie said. The self-guided tour kit features six postcards that pair with an audio guide. People can choose between a package that focuses on downtown locations or rural attractions. Either option also includes a booklet with tips for visitors. “It tells you about parking, what to wear, what time is best to experience [Elora] and it really sets you up for your day to unfold in Elora as best as it can be,” Airdrie said. A physical copy of the cards can be purchased for $65 online or in select local shops. A virtual version is also available for $35. The postcard packages also come with a pencil for people to log their memories and a stamp to mail them out. “I’ve seen the changes that our town has gone through and I’m proud to tell those stories of how it has changed,” she said. Nancy Ariss is a fellow Centre Wellington resident who purchased the downtown tour package. Despite spending a lot of time in Elora, she admitted she learned something new. “We walk by these locations all the time and didn’t realize that [some of these] buildings were part of such history,” Ariss said, adding she enjoyed that the locations could be explored at your own pace. One of the stops is the Elora Distilling Co., and co-owner Marty Van Vliet told CTV News he’s noticed more foot traffic in his tasting venue. “We have had a lot of people come and have cocktails upstairs here and they mentioned that they wouldn’t have found the Royal Room if they hadn’t seen the postcard,” Van Vliet said. “Elora is actually bigger than a lot of people think. There are about 100 stores downtown, there’s the river and there’s a lot happening here, so it can be overwhelming.”
