Special Ceremony and Reception to be held on Thursday, September 12 in
Saratoga Springs, New York
TROY, NY – The recipients of the 2024 New York State Tourism Excellence Awards wererevealed on Tuesday, July 2 by the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA). The outstanding work of New York State’s destination marketing organizations, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses in all forms of marketing, destination management, and stewardship are recognized through this annual awards program. The recipient organizations, businesses, institutions, and individuals will be honored at a special ceremony and reception hosted by Advance Media New York in Saratoga Springs, New York on Thursday, September 12, 2024.
Orange County Tourism & Film was awarded for its 2023 Orange County Tourism Travel Guide and Orange County Top Destinations Video and Digital Marketing Campaign.
“We are grateful to have been honored for our Orange County, N.Y., travel guide and our video and marketing campaign promoting our top destinations,” said Amanda Dana, Director of Orange County Tourism & Film. “Orange County offers so much to visitors and residents alike with its craft beverage scene, farm-to-table dining, rich history and range of accommodations. The awards we received today affirm that our initiatives are effectively promoting the county’s endless special qualities to day travelers, weekenders, art lovers, history buffs, adventurers and families throughout the region, the state and far beyond.”
“The New York State Tourism Excellence Awards recognize the very best in destination marketing, management, and stewardship that is so critical in supporting the Empire State’s economy for the betterment of visitors and residents alike,” remarked Corey Fram, Director of Tourism at the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council. “Congratulations to our recipients and sincerest gratitude to all nominees and those working every day to share our great New York State and make it a more enjoyable place to live, work, and visit.”
The New York State Tourism Excellence Awards are open to all New York State tourism marketers and are juried by an impartial panel of industry experts under the auspices of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. This year’s pool of nominations exceeded 2023’s extraordinary total by 18%, marking another year of competitive judging. Nominees spanned every corner of New York State and judges were once again challenged by the diversity and quality of the entries. This celebration of the excellent work done by tourism professionals in New York State would not have been possible without the efforts of those who nominated, the judges who reviewed and scored each submission, and the incredible work done by destination marketing organizations, attractions, leaders, and other tourism-related businesses across New York State.
“The campaigns, initiatives, and projects submitted for the 2024 New York State Tourism Excellence Awards illustrate the world-class work being done by New York’s tourism professionals,” observed Bob Provost, President of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. “The caliber of the work nominated this year challenged the judges who reviewed and scored this year’s entries. Thank you to the Tourism Excellence Awards Committee and judges: Annamaria Bellantoni, Josiah Brown, Bridget Cerrone, Corey Fram, Todd Garofano, Danae Jones, Dana Krueger, Karen Kuhl, Greg LaDuca, Olga Tirado, and the Committee Chair, Sarah Foster Calero, and Co-Chair, Haley Coriaty. A note of thanks also to Rachele Markle, NYSTIA staff liaison to the committee.”
Award Recipients are recognized in the following format:
“Nominee/Campaign Name” from Organization Name
Award Category: Subcategory
– Budget (if applicable*)
*Consistent with previous years, each nominee was required to indicate their organizational budget (over/under $500,000) in all categories excluding the two Excellence in Leadership categories. In cases where all submissions within one category compete in the same budget, only one recipient is awarded.
2024 New York State Tourism Excellence Awards Recipients
Honorees are listed alphabetically by category:
“2023: Journey to The Strong”
from The Strong National Museum of Play
Excellence in International Tourism Marketing: New York Tourism Ambassador
John Percy
from Destination Niagara USA
Excellence in Leadership: Career/Lifetime Achievement
“The Strong’s Expansion Campaign”
from The Strong National Museum of Play
Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: Private Sector Entity
– Budget $500,000 or more
“Saratoga Arms Hotel Marketing Campaign”
from Black Dog LLC on behalf of the Saratoga Arms Hotel
Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: Private Sector Entity
– Budget under $500,000
“NYS Canal Corporation “More Voices” Brochure”
from BBG&G Integrated Marketing on behalf of the NYS Canal Corporation
Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: Regional or Statewide
– Budget $500,000 or more
“Education and Industry Relations Committees”
from the Guides Association of New York City
Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: Regional or Statewide
– Budget under $500,000
“GeneSEEtheEclipse Project”
from Genesee County Chamber of Commerce
Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: TPA/County/DMO Local Level
“Accessible Dutchess”
from Dutchess Tourism, Inc.
Excellence in Tourism Equity & Inclusion
– Budget Over $500,000
“Inside Out Tours LLC”
from Inside Out Tours LLC
Excellence in Tourism Equity & Inclusion
– Budget Under $500,000
“Surveying Local Communities to Drive Organizational Success”
from the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST)
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Creative Use of Data to
Drive Success
– Budget $500,000 or more
“Follow the Money: Paid Media Attribution Campaign for Visit the Lake George Area”
from Workshop on behalf of Warren County Tourism Department
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Creative Use of Data to
Drive Success
– Budget under $500,000
“Orange County Top Destinations Video and Digital Marketing Campaign”
from Focus Media on behalf of Orange County Tourism
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Digital Marketing Campaign
– Budget $500,000 or more
“2023 Miss New York Destination Experiences By Rail”
from Content Studio New York
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Digital Marketing Campaign
– Budget under $500,000
“Dutchess County Bike Tour Guide”
from Dutchess Tourism
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: The Great Outdoors of NYS
“Catskill Cuisine”
from Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Innovations & Strategies to
Address New/Unique/Changing Markets
– Budget $500,000 or more
“Find Your Catskills: Inspiring Diverse Creators to Discover the Great Northern Catskills”
from Workshop on behalf of The Great Northern Catskills of Greene County
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Innovations & Strategies to
Address New/Unique/Changing Markets
– Budget under $500,000
“2023 Orange County Tourism Travel Guide”
from Focus Media on behalf of Orange County Tourism
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Printed Materials
– Budget $500,000 or more
“Discover Tug Hill Visitor Guides”
from Naturally Lewis
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Printed Materials
– Budget under $500,000
“Public Relations Campaign – International Underground Railroad Month Group FAM &
Media Event”
from Tour Cayuga (Cayuga County CVB)
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Public Relations Campaign
– Budget $500,000 or more
“Wayne County Bicentennial”
from Wayne County Tourism
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Public Relations Campaign
– Budget under $500,000
“Brave Women FLX”
from Tour Cayuga (Cayuga County CVB)
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Trails & Itineraries
– Budget $500,000 or more
“Washington County Tourism – Experiential Trails”
from Black Dog LLC on behalf of Washington County Tourism
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Trails & Itineraries
– Budget under $500,000
“Dutchess Certified Tourism Ambassador Program”
from Dutchess Tourism, Inc.
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Visitor Service
“GARNER Historic District of New York”
from GARNER Historic District of New York
Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future
Alyssa Senecal
from the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau
Excellence in Young Professional Leadership
Governor Kathy Hochul
New York State Governor
The New Yorker Award
About New York State Tourism Industry Association: The New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) is a member-driven, 501(c)6 nonprofit organization at the vanguard of transformational tourism marketing, stewardship and long-term strategic planning. We assist our members in advancing responsible economic growth, creating jobs, revitalizing communities, supporting small business success, and increasing state and local tax revenues in order to improve the standard of living, quality of life and pride of place for New York State communities and residents. We achieve these goals by facilitating the success of our members in realizing the economic potential of New York State’s tourism industry as a catalyst for collaborative initiatives, exceptional marketing programs, industry research and legislative awareness for the private sector of New York State’s tourism industry. www.nystia.org
About Advance Media New York: Advance Media NY, is a full-service marketing and advertising agency based in Syracuse. As a division of Advance Local, headquartered in Manhattan, our agency is fueled by a diverse team of wildly talented individuals. From artists to digital experts, we draw from a deep bench of highly qualified professionals within our agency and across our entire company. We don’t just create campaigns; we craft award-winning experiences. Our track record speaks for itself, with accolades and recognition for our innovative work in marketing and advertising. We’re deeply involved in branding, economic development, and other state-wide projects. Our versatility allows us to adapt and excel across diverse sectors. From captivating visuals to compelling copy, our creative services team brings ideas to life. Whether it’s a brand refresh, a digital campaign, high-quality video, or a multimedia project, we infuse creativity into every aspect of our work and have the hardware to prove it with over 90 state, national and international top awards. https://www.newyorkupstate.com/
About Orange County Tourism & Film:
Orange County Tourism & Film, based in Goshen, N.Y., is the county’s tourism and film production headquarters and a participant in the I LOVE NY program. A comprehensive listing of area attractions, lodging, events and film resources can be found at www.pickocny.com. Additionally, a fun, free, 60-page travel guide is available for digital download at pickocny.com/travel-guide/.
