Ten State Tourism Offices Recognized for Excellence
Creative Accomplishment in Travel Marketing
WASHINGTON, DC, August 21, 2007. The National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) announced the winners of its 2007 Mercury Awards program, which honor the best in state tourism office marketing and promotion programs each year. Ten states were honored with thirteen separate Mercury Awards. Entries ranged from print and broadcast advertising to niche marketing. NCSTD is an industry council of the Travel Industry Association (TIA). The awards were presented during the August 18 closing ceremony of TIA's annual Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) in Phoenix, Arizona.
"This year's Mercury Awards competition produced a number of standout entries," said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon and NCSTD Chairman. "The winning entries reflect the depth of innovative and effective programs now being carried out by our industry."
Created in 1985, the Mercury Awards recognize state and territory tourism offices for excellence and creative accomplishment in travel marketing and promotion. The winning programs serve as models to foster imagination and innovation in the development of future destination programs.
The list of individual award winners follows:
o Print Visitor Guide: Utah Office of Tourism
o Print Advertising: Wyoming Tourism
o Broadcast Advertising - Television: Travel Michigan
o Broadcast Advertising - Radio: Travel Montana
o Film/Audio Visual: Virginia Tourism Corporation
o Niche Marketing: Visit North Carolina
o Co-operative Marketing: South Dakota Department of Tourism
o Technical Marketing: Virginia Tourism Corporation
o International Marketing: Mississippi Division of Tourism
o Special Promotion - Creative & Quirky: Illinois Bureau of Tourism
o Special Promotion - Environmental: South Dakota Department of Tourism
o Best Overall Program: Travel Michigan
o Information/Welcome Center Programs: Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism
The Travel Industry Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $700 billion travel industry. TIA's mission is to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States. TIA is proud to be a partner in travel with American Express. For more information, visit www.tia.org.
The National Council of Destination Organizations, an industry council of TIA, serves to enhance the effectiveness of tourism destination marketing professionals and organizations through communications, networking, education and public policy involvement.
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