DANVILLE-BOYLE COUNTY CVB

News release 

Each fall travel professionals from around the state gather at the annual Kentucky Travel Industry Association Conference. This year, held at the Crowne Plaza in Louisville, the conference provided attendees with the opportunity to network, attend educational sessions and connect with various industry suppliers during the Trade Show.  A highlight of the three-day event is the awards gala where Kentucky travel and tourism businesses and marketing organizations vie for Traverse Awards in 16 categories during the annual competition.  The Traverse panel of judges consists of marketing, public relations and tourism experts whose work is conducted outside Kentucky.  Award criteria include concept, creativity, design and impact. Nearly 225 entries were submitted from throughout Kentucky for the 2017 competition, the highest to date.

 This year was an exceptional year for the Danville Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Four Traverse Award for Excellence in Tourism Marketing were given to our CVB including two bronze awards for the newly designed visitors guide and the 225 celebration on June 1st to commemorate Kentucky’s birthday.

 A gold award was also received for the “Historically Bold” marketing campaign that encompasses the branding effort recently completed with the partnership of Chandler Thinks. The initiative was intended to create a well-defined competitive marketing identity to improve the attractiveness of Boyle County to travelers and prospective residents, and also provide local businesses and attractions with marketing tools and a foundation to build upon. Travel organizations of all sizes and types competed for this award and Danville-Boyle County stood out among the others, continuing to be bold and make history.

 Most notably, however, is the recognition received for the prestigious Judge’s Choice Award also for the Historically Bold Campaign. Of the 225 entries, the CVB took home top honors above and beyond the 16 categories, to be placed with the very best of the best marketing campaigns across the state of Kentucky. Executive Director, Jennifer Kirchner said “This is an award for our community because we are celebrating the authentic character of our county with this endeavor. If it were not real, the message would not resonate. Tapping into community pride is an important part of developing a competitive identity, that’s why this works so well. We should all be proud that we continue to exceed expectations. Our CVB is a smaller one in the state and competition was tough, so I am beyond excited that all of the hard work we put in to create a distinct and effective identity for our county is paying off and well recognized.”

 According to KTIA President/CEO Hank Phillips, “The Kentucky travel and tourism industry includes some of the most creative and effective marketing professionals to be found in any state and in any industry. It is that creativity and marketing that has resulted in tourism becoming one of Kentucky’s premier economic drivers. Traverse awards are much sought after and prestigious acknowledgements of success within this highly skilled industry.”   

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 The Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA) represents all segments of Kentucky’s $14.5 billion tourism industry. The industry supports 193,000 Kentucky jobs and generates $1.52 billion in local and state tax revenue. The 800-member association engages in advocacy and provides its members with education, information and business development opportunities. The association also works to inform the public of the enormous economic, employment and tax revenue contributions tourism makes to Kentucky.