Vermont’s tourism industry professionals gathered this week in Killington, Vt. for the 33rd annual Vermont Tourism Summit, formerly known as the Vermont Travel Industry Conference. Together, they celebrated the success of their peers with six awards; two presented by the Vermont Tourism Summit and four presented by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. The awards ceremony was emceed by Tim Piper, President of the Vermont Inn and Bed & Breakfast Association (VIBBA).
The two Vermont Tourism Summit Awards are the Governor’s SMART Award for Creative Marketing in Tourism and the Christiane Skinner Vermont Tourism Champion of the Year.
The 2016 Governor’s SMART Award for Creative Marketing in Tourism was presented to the Vermont Arts Council for the “Vermont.Arts.Everywhere.” Campaign.
The SMART Award honors a tourism-related business, region, association, special event, travel journalist, or other, which has leveraged the Vermont Brand through creative, innovative and customer focused marketing.
The “Vermont.Arts.Everywhere.” campaign by the Vermont Arts Council was designed to strengthen the arts as a core component of the Vermont brand.
“We want to ensure that when visitors and residents think about Vermont, in addition to our beautiful landscape, skiing, fall foliage, and maple syrup, they think about the arts.” – Kira Bacon, Communications and Outreach Manager at the Vermont Arts Council. “We believe that a unique quality of Vermont is that the state’s cultural assets are not centralized in one or two urban locations – they are everywhere!”
To promote this concept, the Vermont Arts Council enlisted the help of Mondo Mediaworks, a Brattleboro, Vt. based marketing agency specializing in video production, to produce a series of fun and quirky videos which were promoted on social media.
The 2016 Christiane Skinner Vermont Tourism Champion of the Year award was presented to Nelson Skinner in memory of his mother, Christiane Skinner, who is this year’s recipient.
In September 2015, the Vermont Tourism Summit Board of Directors and Planning Committee unanimously voted to change the name of the Vermont Travel Person of the Year award to the Christiane Skinner Vermont Tourism Champion of the Year.
Recipients of the award exemplify an ongoing dedication to what makes Vermont such a special place to visit. The award is presented annually to an individual who contributes significantly to Vermont's travel and tourism industry.
Christiane, who was fluent in French, moved from Montreal to Vermont in 1987. She studied tourism and the travel trade in Spain in the early 1980s. After 20 years as a travel agent both in Canada and Vermont, she joined the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM) in January 2001. At VDTM, Christiane represented Vermont at consumer and travel trade shows, attended group tour and coach marketplaces, and implemented North American and international sales missions. She was known by many within Vermont's travel industry and is a longtime supporter of the Vermont Tourism Summit. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Christiane retired from VDTM in 2015. As reflected in the award's criteria, Christiane is a true champion for the state of Vermont and the tourism industry. The Summit is honored to rename the prestigious Vermont Travel Person of the Year award to the Christiane Skinner Vermont Tourism Champion of the Year.
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce Hospitality Awards include Chef of the Year, Restaurateur of the Year, Borden E. Avery Innkeeper of the Year, and Tourism Partner of the Year.
The 2016 Chef of the Year Award was presented to Chef Christian Kruse of the Basin Harbor Club.
The Chef of the Year Award recognizes an individual with a proven history of supporting Vermont’s agricultural economy through the use of local food and products. Chef Kruse is extremely passionate about the industry and the employees that are involved in our very extensive food and beverage operation at Basin Harbor Club. He has high expectations and holds every one of his employees to them.
Chris has worked for Basin Harbor for 11 years from an intern rising to the Executive Chef. Chris utilizes local food vendors throughout the State including his own on site sources.
The 2016 Restaurateur of the Year Award was presented to Doug Paine of Juniper at Hotel Vermont.
The Restaurateur of the Year Award honors restaurateurs who continue to demonstrate excellence in the operation and management of a restaurant in Vermont.
Chef Douglas Paine is a born and raised Vermonter who deeply appreciates the bounty that Vermont has to offer and showcases that bounty at every turn. He is the creative chef behind Bleu Northeast Seafood and Juniper restaurant in Hotel Vermont. Chef Paine seeks out partnerships with local farmers and producers to raise awareness on environmental issues, to bring Vermonters together, and to further promote our state to a widening audience.
The 2016 Borden E. Avery Innkeeper of the Year Award was presented to Walter Blasberg of the North Hero House.
The Borden E. Avery Innkeeper of the Year Award is designed specifically for individuals who continue to demonstrate excellence in the operation and management of a Vermont bed & breakfast, inn or hotel.
Walter has dedicated himself fulltime over the past 20 years to innkeeping and improving the guests’ lodging and dining experiences. A UVM graduate, Mr. Blasberg returned to Vermont after a long career in investment management and purchased the historic North Hero House in 1997.
The 2016 Tourism Partner of the Year Award was presented to Laura Parette of Laura Parette Designs.
The Tourism Partner of the Year Awards, formerly known as the Allied Member of the Year, is designed for an individual who is a leader in supporting and promoting the hospitality industry in Vermont.
Laura Parette has been an amazing partner to the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and to the State. Her attention to detail, guidance and knowledge of the Vermont tourism industry has been an incredible asset in designing the official tourism publications and attractions map. She is a great champion of the Vermont brand and is a trusted team member working to promote Vermont in a unified way.
“In presenting these awards, we celebrate the hospitality and tourism industry’s vast contributions to the state economy, and acknowledge these award winners as stand-out achievers within the industry,” said Tori Ossola, Vice President of Tourism for The Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “These are the individuals who enhance Vermont’s iconic brand.”
The Vermont Tourism Summit draws one of the largest gatherings of tourism professionals in the state including owners, managers and employees of the many businesses connected to this important segment of the economy. Approximately 250 professionals and students participated in this year’s conference, representing 14 states and 1 Canadian province.