New York State Tourism Excellence Awards Introduces New and Refined Categories

The NYSTIA Tourism Excellence Awards Committee is pleased to announce updates to the award categories for 2026. After reviewing submission trends and evaluating the balance between marketing-focused and destination-focused recognition, the Committee has refined the categories to better reflect the full scope of work happening across New York State’s tourism industry.

While there are no net-new awards, several categories have been thoughtfully restructured to elevate destination management, stewardship, and workforce efforts alongside strong marketing initiatives:

Creative for Tourism Marketing: Nominations include concepts for integrative tourism marketing campaigns and tourism commercial/video for online or television, and should highlight the strategic thinking, concept development, and creative execution behind the work, demonstrating originality, effectiveness, and alignment with campaign objectives.

Overall Tourism Marketing: Nominations represent a comprehensive, integrated marketing demonstrating excellence across multiple disciplines. Submissions should reflect a cohesive strategy implemented over at least six months and incorporate a range of tactics. Entries must demonstrate strategic vision, innovation, measurable results, and overall impact.

International Tourism Marketing: Nominees are individuals, communities, or organizations engaged in innovative, new, unique and/or highly effective initiatives targeting increased international visitation to New York State.

Destination Development & Community Engagement: Recognizes excellence in planning, development, or enhancement of tourism assets that strengthen a destination’s appeal for both visitors and residents, with meaningful engagement of residents, businesses and community partners to ensure successful and sustainable tourism development. Nominees demonstrate inclusive, collaborative approaches that connect tourism to quality of life, civic pride, successfully bridging residents and visitors that contributes to long-term destination vitality and competitiveness. Eligible efforts may include resident engagement programs, community-driven tourism planning, cross-sector partnerships, volunteer initiatives, downtown revitalization tied to tourism, trail or corridor development, strategic investments that elevate the visitor experience while supporting community goals.

Tourism Advocacy: Recognizes demonstration in exceptional leadership advocating for the tourism industry at the local, regional, or state level. Nominees exemplify a commitment to elevating tourism’s economic, social, and cultural value through policy engagement, funding advocacy, stakeholder education, or legislative initiatives that strengthen New York’s tourism ecosystem.

Workforce Development: Recognizes the advancement of New York State’s tourism industry through effective workforce development strategies, demonstrating creativity in recruitment, retention, training, or career pathway development, and/or have established unique cross-sector collaborations that strengthen local tourism talent pipelines.

View all Categories and nominate now!

The New York State Tourism Excellence Awards remain the premier recognition program for New York State’s tourism industry. This once-a-year opportunity allows you to spotlight the impactful work happening in your organization and community. Nominate your team, a partner, or a colleague who deserves recognition and help us celebrate the people and projects moving tourism forward across the state.