The 2026 NYS Tourism Excellence Awards is the premier recognition program for New York State's tourism industry. Each year, this program honors exceptional achievements by New York’s destination marketing organizations, attractions, and tourism professionals across a wide range of categories, including marketing, destination stewardship, and leadership. Read this year's honoree announcement press release here.

Honorees will be celebrated at a special ceremony and reception, hosted by Advance Media New York, on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. 

If you are not attending the Summit, you can purchase a ticket for the awards banquet and ceremony.

Member Banquet Ticket: $145
Non-Member Banquet Ticket: $165

If you are already registered for the Summit, a ticket to the awards banquet and ceremony is already included in your registration. 

Award recipients are recognized in the following format:

Nominee/Campaign/Project Name
Organization Name
Award Category: Subcategory
- *Budget Subcategory (if applicable)

*To ensure fair competition among organizations of similar budgets, nominators are asked to include the nominated organization’s total annual tourism operating budget (under or over $500,000). In the case(s) where a category receives nominations in both budget ranges, two awards—one in each budget range—are awarded.

Carol Eaton
Visit Syracuse
Excellence in Leadership: Career Achievement

Michele Vennard
Albany Convention Center Authority
The New Yorker Award

The Catharine Valley Trail Experience Project
East Shore Marketing on behalf of Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Creative for Tourism Marketing
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000

Where You Go Matters. Make It Count.
Tour Cayuga
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Creative for Tourism Marketing
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more

 My New York Vibe
Paperkite on behalf of NYSDMO
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Digital Marketing Campaign
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000

Commander in Cheers Beers
Destination Dutchess
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Digital Marketing Campaign
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

My New York Vibe
Paperkite on behalf of NYSDMO
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
The Great Outdoors of New York State
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000
 

Destination Dutchess Farm Finder
Destination Dutchess
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
The Great Outdoors of New York State
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

Alon’s Amplify Business Development Program
Alon Tourism Solutions
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Innovations & Strategies to Address New/Unique/Changing Markets
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000
 

Visit Rochester Reimagines Canadian Outreach with “Dear Canada”
Visit Rochester
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Innovations & Strategies to Address New/Unique/Changing Markets
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

Online International Inbound Travel Training Program
Alon Tourism Solutions & IITA
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
International Tourism Marketing

Erie Canalway Bicentennial Marketing Campaign
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Overall Tourism Marketing
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000
 

Destination Dutchess Rev250
Destination Dutchess
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Overall Tourism Marketing
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

The Catharine Valley Trail Experience Project
East Shore Marketing on behalf of Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Printed Materials
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000
 

This Is Cooperstown Inspiration Guide
Destination Marketing Corporation
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Printed Materials
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

Discover Saratoga Public Relations Program
Travel Alliance Partnership on behalf of Discover Saratoga
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Public Relations Campaign

New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail
2k Design on behalf of This Is Cooperstown/Otsego County, Visit Binghamton, Discover Chemung, Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, Explore Steuben, and Experience Tioga
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Trails & Itineraries
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000 

Discover Saratoga’s “Trip Ideas”
Discover Saratoga
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Trails & Itineraries
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

ADK DATA
Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST)
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs:
Using Data to Drive Success

New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail
2k Design on behalf of This Is Cooperstown/Otsego County, Visit Binghamton, Discover Chemung, Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, Explore Steuben, and Experience Tioga
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Destination Development & Community Engagement
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000
 

Yōkoso to Cooperstown (ようこそ Cooperstown)
This Is Cooperstown
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Destination Development & Community Engagement
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

ACORNS & JR. ACORNS
Genesee County Parks, Recreation and Forestry
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Sustainable Stewardship
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000
 

Discover Saratoga’s Chowderfest
Discover Saratoga
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Sustainable Stewardship
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget $500,000 or more
 

DMO/County Grant Program
Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Tourism Advocacy
 

“One Laugh at a Time” A National Comedy Center Memory Cafe
National Comedy Center
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Tourism Equity & Inclusion

Economic Development/Workforce Development Web Pages
Black Dog Designs, LLC on behalf of Washington County Planning Department
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Workforce Development
- Annual Tourism Operating Budget less than $500,000
 

Visit Rochester Frontline Toolkit
Visit Rochester
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Workforce Development
- Annual Tourim Operating Budget $500,000 or more

Liza Ochsendorf
Warren County Workforce Development
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship:
Workforce Development
- Individual Subcategory Recipient
 

Hayley Coriaty
Alon Tourism Solutions
Excellence in Young Professional Leadership