On April 7th and 8th, hospitality industry professionals gathered at the Stoweflake Resort in Stowe, Vermont for the 27th Annual Vermont Travel Industry Conference. After a series of educational and motivational workshops led by industry specialists representing hotels, online booking engines, PR companies and more, the opening day concluded with an awards banquet honoring some of the great people and projects in Vermont hospitality.
The first award was the Governor’s Award for Tourism Marketing Excellence. As Master of Ceremonies, Chris Francis of Ye Olde England Inn told the audience, the award is given to “a tourism-related business, region, or association that has shown a clear understanding of the Vermont Brand and has successfully incorporated it into one or more marketing initiatives.” The award also gives recognition to the “ongoing commitment to Vermont’s tourism industry.” The judges were asked to base their votes on the following criteria: Strategy, Creativity, Innovation, Results and Brand. The six nominees were each unique and excellent in their own way but the winning project successfully met all of the criteria for Marketing Excellence. Through their campaign with Ski Vermont, the 2010 Governor’s Award for Marketing Excellence recipients, Mike Hannigan and Seth Drury of the Burlington, Vermont based design firm Methodikal, enhanced the overall Vermont winter brand.
The second award, presented by Ed Stahl, Vermont Travel Industry Conference Board Member and Stowe Area Association Executive Director, was the Travel Person of the Year Award. Stahl shared with the audience that this award honors a person who “exemplifies an ongoing dedication to what makes Vermont such a special place to visit.” Some of the criteria includes; encouraging Vermont travelers to visit the state, helping position Vermont as a friendly and fun place to visit, and promoting the value of tourism to the state’s economy. With that criteria in mind, Chris Francis, Ye Olde England Inn of Stowe, was the clear winner of the highly respected title – Vermont Travel Person of the Year. As the Master of Ceremonies, Francis was asked to open the sealed envelope to reveal the winner which came as quite the surprise when he revealed his own name. Thrilled with the results, the ballroom filled with his industry peers, congratulated Francis with a standing ovation.
The conference concluded the next day with another series of educational workshops and an update from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.
For more information on the Vermont Travel Industry Conference, please visit the website at www.VTIC.org.
