Media Contact:
Heidi Barfels
Heidi@visitestespark.com
Claire Molle
Claire@visitestespark.com
HSMAI TO HONOR VISIT ESTES PARK WITH SILVER AND BRONZE ADRIAN AWARDS
FOR OUTSTANDING TRAVEL MARKETING
Award winners to be celebrated at in-person event in New York in February
McLean, Virginia, (November 21, 2023) – Visit Estes Park will be honored for travel marketing excellence by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) at the annual Adrian Awards Celebration at the New York Marriott Marquis on February 13, 2024.
The Adrian Awards, now in their 67th year, are the largest and most prestigious competition in global travel marketing. For 2023, Adrian Awards are being presented in advertising, digital, PR/communications, and integrated campaign categories, as well as Trending categories for Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
Visit Estes Park will receive a Silver Adrian Award for its winning entry in the Trending - Environmental, Social, Governance category for the lodging tax extension campaign supporting workforce housing and childcare in the Estes Valley. In addition, efforts for the first Frozen Dead Guy Days festival held in Estes Park will be recognized with a Bronze Adrian Award in the Public Relations/Communications Special Event category.
“We are honored to be recognized with two prestigious HSMAI Adrian Awards for campaigns that will continue to evolve and benefit the local community for years to come,” says Kara Franker, CEO of Visit Estes Park. “We have a passionate team here at Visit Estes Park, and they have worked hard to ensure we consistently support the business goals of our Estes Valley community. We are proud to bring these awards home to Estes Park and have so much more to look forward to in 2024.”
Silver Adrian Award Winner
Category: Trending - Environmental, Social, Governance
Title: Standing Up For Workforce Housing & Childcare In Estes Park
Following a Colorado House Bill that allowed for the expanded use of local lodging tax revenue to specifically address gaps in the need for workforce housing and childcare, Visit Estes Park was tasked with swiftly developing a clear strategy that communicated the beneficial impacts of tourism within the Estes Valley community in advance of a public vote. As a result of a multi-pronged political campaign that was all handled in-house with staff from Visit Estes Park and board members, the community supported the tourism industry through a positive vote that increased lodging tax and preserved local tourism marketing dollars. The Lodging Tax Extension fund is projected to contribute $26 million to the Estes Park community in the first 5 years, thereby improving the quality of life for the community’s workforce through affordable housing and increased childcare offerings.
Bronze Adrian Award
Category: Public Relations/Communications Special Event
Title: Bringing Frozen Dead Guy Days Back to Life in Estes Park
In less than 100 days, Visit Estes Park (VEP) and The Stanley Hotel successfully brought Colorado’s iconic Frozen Dead Guy Days Festival to Estes Park, after it was canceled in the nearby town of Nederland. VEP guided a production company to organize the event while handling all marketing, promotion and asset creation in-house, producing high-quality content that rivaled agency work. More than 64 community partners came together to transform the well-known festival into a community-wide, three-day event featuring numerous satellite events, special offers and local sponsorships, which increased economic opportunity for the community during a slower time of year.
This year’s theme, WanderLOVE, highlights the stories of remarkable ads, campaigns, and experiences that sparked a love for travel, igniting a desire for exploration among travelers worldwide.
“The Adrian Awards celebrate the innovation and ingenuity that fuel our success and recognize the marketing leaders whose extraordinary efforts literally ‘open the doors’ to exploration and excitement,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “Their work inspired the world to get out and create memories through travel, and HSMAI is proud to honor them.”
The Adrian Awards Celebration is a must-attend industry event that annually attracts leading hospitality, travel, and tourism marketing executives and their agencies. Winning entries will be viewable in the winners’ gallery on the Adrian Awards website following the February 13 Celebration. Visit https://adrianawards.hsmai.org/ for more information on the event and competition.
About HSMAI
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry’s leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, and HSMAI ROC. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org, HSMAI Facebook, HSMAI Instagram, HSMAI Twitter/X, and HSMAI YouTube.
About Visit Estes Park
Visit Estes Park is the official Destination Marketing Organization for Estes Park, Colorado. A Destinations International (DI) accredited DMO, Visit Estes Park's mission is to drive sustainable year-round economic growth by encouraging visitor demand. Estes Park, just 90 minutes from Denver, is the basecamp for Rocky Mountain National Park, offering outdoor experiences, activities, dining, shopping and an environment that is welcoming and approachable. Known for world-class adventure, resident wildlife and scenic beauty, Estes Park is Colorado’s quintessential mountain town. To learn more, go to visitestespark.com.
