SouthEast Tourism | Shining Example Awards

Shining Example Awards 2008

The Shining Example Awards recognize outstanding contributions to the advancement of tourism in the Southeastern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia & West Virginia.

Thank you for your submissions for this year's Shining Example awards.

Winners will be announced Wednesday, September 3 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Two new categories debut this year:

Tourism for Tomorrow: This award recognizes the accomplishments of a destination, company or organization in the realm of sustainable tourism. Nominations should illustrate how the nominee promotes tourism development while safeguarding local culture and/or protecting the environment. The connection between development and tourism must be clear.

Internet Excellence: This award recognizes extraordinary performance in digital communication. Nominations should highlight effective online promotions, contests, advertising, editorial communication, social networking and other content. Evaluation factors include results, creativity, innovation and ease of use.

Please read the Categories & Rules

Shining Example 2007 Recipients

Travel Attraction of the Year
Charles Towne Landing (Beverly Shelley accepted)

CVB of the Year (Category 1)
Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Bureau (Debbie Wilson accepted)

CVB of the Year (Category 2)
Virginia Beach CVB (Jim Ricketts accepted)

Regional Organization of the Year (Private)
Southern & Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association (Vicki Kidd accepted)

Regional Organization of the Year (Public)
Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel (Lee Sentell accepted)

Festival of the Year (Category 1)
5th Annual Secret City Festival - Oak Ridge Convention & Visitors Bureau (Nicky Reynolds accepted)

Festival of the Year (Category 2)
Macon, Georgia’s International Cherry Blossom Festival (Wright Tilley accepted)

Governmental Tourism Leadership Award
Rep. Tracy Edge – South Carolina House of Representatives (Tracy Edge accepted)

Visual Excellence
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau (Glenn Hastings accepted)

Tourism Awareness
Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau (Anthony J. DiFilippo accepted)

Travel Writer of the Year
Valerie Fraser Luesse

Rising Star Award
Elizabeth Harvill

A complement to the Shining Example Awards is presentation of the Dorothy Hardman Award that recognizes an STS member's dedication to STS. The 2007 recipient is Judy Randall, president and CEO of Randall Travel Marketing. Randall also serves as a board member of the Southeast Tourism Society.

Southeast Tourism Society board chair-elect Leon Downey recognized Victor Profis, Director of Travel and Tourism for Southern Living with the Chairman of the Board Award for outstanding service to the society and the Board.