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2025 NYS Tourism Excellence Awards

Thursday, September 11, 2025 | Evening

Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center, Lake George, NY

All 2025 NYS Tourism Excellence Summit registrations include entry to the Tourism Excellence Awards ceremony and reception.
 
If you are not registered/attending the Summit: You do not need to register for the Summit to attend the award ceremony and reception. Below is the ticketing outline, which we will be providing more detail on in the coming weeks:

Public Tickets: $150
NYSTIA Dues Paying Members: $125
For 2025 Award Honorees: Please contact Rachele Markle 
 
All net proceeds of the awards ceremony and reception go to the Destinations of New York State Scholarship Fund.

Presented By:

"I’m excited to share that Advance Media NY/Advance Travel & Tourism will once again be the presenting sponsor of the 2025 NYSTIA Annual Summit & New York State Tourism Excellence Awards in picturesque Lake George, NY! 

The Tourism Excellence Awards celebrate the most creative and successful campaigns, publications, individuals, and projects from across the state. This event always inspires us to strive for excellence, adopt best practices, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our team at Advance Media NY, a full-service advertising and marketing agency, applauds all of the organizations who submitted entries for the awards. Our friends and clients across the state have done amazing work and Advance Media NY will showcase the winners in a video tribute produced by our award-winning creative team at the Tourism Excellence Awards ceremony on September 11.

The annual Summit is the premier event for gaining industry insights and inspiration. It’s a fantastic opportunity to network with some of the brightest minds, most experienced professionals, and trendsetting thought leaders in the tourism industry. New York Tourism organizations truly bring their best to this event.

This September, treat yourself to a visit to Lake George, where history, arts, culture, and natural beauty await you. Join me and be inspired by the innovative and highly successful Tourism Excellence Award recipients. Don’t miss out!"

Bridget Cerrone
Senior Travel Marketing Strategist
Advance Media New York

2025 New York State Tourism Excellence Awards Recipients

Honorees are listed alphabetically by category:
 

Karen Kühl
Cayuga County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Excellence in Leadership: Career/Lifetime Achievement

Delaware County “Map Your Moments” 2024 Annual Marketing Campaign
Advance Media New York on behalf of Delaware County Great Western Catskills

Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: TPA/County/DMO Local Level
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Discover Long Island
Discover Long Island

Excellence in Overall Tourism Marketing: TPA/County/DMO Local Level
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

Accessible Travel: Disability Pride, Disability Joy, Exists
Accessible Travel NYC

Excellence in Tourism Equity & Inclusion
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Inclusive Campaign
Focus Media on behalf of Orange County Tourism

Excellence in Tourism Equity & Inclusion
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

Supplemental Tourism Information Brochures
Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Creative Use of
Data to Drive Success
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Data Driven Large Scale Event Management
Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST)

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Creative Use of
Data to Drive Success
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

Weekend Wonders
BBG&G Integrated Marketing on behalf of St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Digital Marketing
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Four Season Campaign
Focus Media on behalf of Orange County Tourism

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Digital Marketing
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

We’ll See You Out There
New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: The Great Outdoors of New York State

Washington County Tourism “How It’s Made” Series
Black Dog Designs on behalf of Washington County Tourism

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Innovations & Strategies to Address New/Unique/Changing Markets
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Commander in Cheers
Destination Dutchess

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Innovations & Strategies to Address New/Unique/Changing Markets
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

2024/2025 New York By Rail 20th Anniversary Issue
Content Studio New York

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Printed Materials
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

2024 Discover Dutchess Destination Guide
Destination Dutchess

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Printed Materials
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

Pouring New Life into Westchester
From Mower on behalf of Westchester County Tourism & Film

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Public Relations
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Path of Totality Awesome
Visit Rochester

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Public Relations
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

LivCo Libation Loop
Livingston County Tourism

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Trails & Itineraries
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Cortland County Ice Cream Trail
Cortland County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Trails & Itineraries
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

More to Explore
New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Visitor Service
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

Visit Ithaca Visitor Experience Program
Visit Ithaca

Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Visitor Service
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

Empire State Trail Town Program
Parks & Trails New York

Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000
 

The Angel Nyack
The Angel Nyack

Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

Discover Cayuga Lake
Discover Cayuga Lake

Excellence in Sustainable Tourism: Champions of Change
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget under $500,000

The 2024 Solar Eclipse
The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST)

Excellence in Sustainable Tourism: Champions of Change
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

Megan Arnone Eckwahl
The National Comedy Center

Excellence in Young Professional Leadership

Robert “Bob” Stopper
Wayne County Tourism

The New Yorker Award