Awards presented during annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism

PHOTO GALLERY + CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS: facebook.com/GoToWVPartners

2016 Stars of the Industry Awards at Canaan Valley Resort, Davis, WV

DAVIS, W.Va. (September 28, 2016) – This year’s Stars of the Industry and Gold Star award

recipients were recognized Tuesday evening during the 2016 Governor’s Conference on Tourism: #MyWV: Sharing Real Stories at Canaan Valley Resort State Park in Davis, West Virginia.

The awards recognize standout organizations and individuals who have promoted the many wild, wonderful destinations throughout the state and whose hard work has encouraged development of the tourism industry in West Virginia.  The Gold Star Award recognizes a member of the GoToWV Team who has gone above and beyond and was first awarded at the 2014 conference.

“As we plan for another great year in the travel and tourism industry in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia, I’d like to express my continued gratitude to our partners for their hard work, creativity and dedication in helping to make the Mountain State a world-class destination,” Commissioner of Tourism Amy Shuler Goodwin said. “The Stars of the Industry Awards serve as our chance to acknowledge the folks and entities that continue to play major roles in promoting our state.”

The 2016 Stars of the Industry award recipients are:

Marketing and Advertising Awards

Advertising Campaign < $200k: Mercer County CVB

This award recognizes an organization with the most creative advertising campaign: print, broadcast, web, social, etc., with a total marketing/advertising budget less than $200,000.

Advertising Campaign > $200k: Stonewall Resort

This award recognizes an organization with the most creative advertising campaign: print, broadcast, web, social, etc., with a total marketing/advertising budget greater than $200,000.

Marketing/Public Relations Campaign: Snowshoe Mountain Resort

This award recognizes an organization that successfully engages its intended audience and promotes great stories while utilizing multiple channels.

Digital Campaign: Adventures on the Gorge

This award recognizes an organization that successfully demonstrates a creative, successful digital marketing campaign.

Social Media Campaign: Capon Springs and Farms

This award recognizes an organization that creatively employs social media across multiple platforms as a key component of its marketing strategy.

Print Article: WV South, Michelle James, “The Haunted History of Lake Shawnee” / Mercer County CVB “The Haunted History of Lake Shawnee”

This award recognizes the writer of a print article or editorial—not to include advertorial material provided through cooperative advertising projects/special sections.

Print/Photography Layout: Powder Magazine “Almost Heaven” / Tucker County CVB Powder Magazine

This award recognizes the publication with the best best print/photography layout—not to include advertorial material provided through cooperative advertising projects/special sections.

Visitors Guide: Jefferson County CVB

This award recognizes an organization that creatively showcases its area, attraction, or organization in an effort to promote travel and tourism in and to the state.

Website: J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works

This award recognizes an organization whose website includes creative content, captivating imagery and innovative online features and which demonstrates an innovative and creative approach.

Tourism Recognition

The Mountain State Award: Heritage Farm Museum and Village

This award recognizes an event or facility that demonstrates excellence in programming (types and number of activities), distinctiveness, marketing efforts, visitorship/attendance, and impact on the state’s economy and/or image.

Spirit of West Virginia Award: Charleston Area Alliance

This award recognizes a community or organization that promotes tourism development and community spirit through cooperative opportunities, volunteer / community efforts, and/or creative and innovative entrepreneurial development.

Oshel Craigo Lifetime Achievement Award: G. Randolph Worls

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated continued leadership for a significant period of time or substantial contributions to the growth and success of West Virginia’s travel and tourism industry. This individual is considered the “best of the best” in the industry.

Professional of the Year: Jeffrey Lusk

This award is presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the state’s travel and tourism industry through exceptional job performance, leadership in the industry, or development and improvement of tourism facilities and/or activities.

Entries for the Stars of the Industry awards were reviewed by an industry panel.

In addition to the Stars of the Industry awards, a Gold Star award was presented to Vicki Vaughan. The Gold Star, presented for the first time in 2014, is awarded to an outstanding employee at Wild, Wonderful West Virginia. Vicki is the Director of Customer Service and oversees the state’s eight Welcome Centers.

Wild, Wonderful West Virginia, in collaboration with the West Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus and the West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, hosted the 2016 Governor’s Conference on Tourism: Real. Stories in Davis, September 25-28 at Canaan Valley Resort State Park.

Real. Excitement * Real. Family Time * Real. Mountain Flavor * Real. Adventure * Real. Fun * Real. Wild, Wonderful West Virginia.  You can find it here.  Call 800-CALL WVA or visit GoToWV.com.  Share your Real. West Virginia stories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with #GoToWV and #RealWV.

This post was last updated on September 28, 2016