Coshocton Visitors Bureau receives marketing awards

| September 26, 2013

COSHOCTON – Jan Myers, director of the Coshocton Visitors Bureau and Lainie Brillhart, marketing and communications coordinator with the Coshocton Visitors Bureau joined other leaders of Ohio’s tourism industry in attending the Ohio Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau’s (OACVB) annual Education Conference, Sept. 18-19, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Springfield.

OACVB President John Kiste expressed his appreciation for the event. “I have always considered OACVB the best association resource for my professional development,” he said.  “The annual conference this year was a perfect blend of educational seminars, board events, networking, awards – and sightseeing!” Kiste also thanked Springfield CVB Director Chris Schutte for hosting the event.

During the conference John Fimiani, Brand & Strategy Director of Oxiem Marketing, gave a presentation on interactive marketing strategies for CVBs. Kevin Rose, architectural historian for The Turner Foundation, spoke on promoting heritage tourism with walking tours.  The conference also included the OACVB September Board Meeting, a private tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott House and a walking tour of downtown Springfield.

The OACVB’s annual Middy Awards Luncheon was also held during the conference.  MIDDY Awards are presented for destination marketing and tourism development recognizing excellence among member bureaus for marketing and PR efforts.

“The MIDDY Award name reflects our region of the country,” said Jeri Knowlton, chairperson of the OACVB MIDDY Awards for 2013. “Recipients are recognized for excellence in objective, results, creativity and originality.”

Of 122 award entries received in print, advertising, promotion, TV/Video, Internet related, strategy, graphics, and radio a divisions 82 awards were given. All entries are judged by a team of experts in the communications, advertising, public relations, publications and/or tourism from outside of the OACVB membership.

The Coshocton Visitors Bureau received five MIDDY awards at the conference. Three second place awards for the Coshocton Visitors Guide, The new Coshocton Visitors Bureau Logo and for the Visit Coshocton Facebook Page. Coshocton also received two first place awards for the Visit Coshocton Flickr Page and for the 2013 Coshocton County Events Brochure.

“It is an honor to receive these awards for our marketing efforts,” Myers said. “Our two-person office has a big job promoting all Coshocton County has to offer tourists. We focus our efforts on attracting visitors to Coshocton – specifically to spend the night in one of our lodging facilities. This is important because the visitors bureau is funded by the collection of the lodging tax paid by the visitor. This money is what allows us to continue marketing Coshocton County attractions and events.”

Convention and visitors bureaus are best described as destination marketing organizations and are responsible for travel and tourism product awareness to visitors. Many outstanding marketing projects were submitted for the annual awards competition. Being recognized for a job well-done in the promotion of travel and tourism throughout the state of Ohio is a highly valued achievement.

“I heard our job described very clearly recently by a speaker from the Experience Columbus Visitors Bureau,” Myers said. “It’s Tourism Ohio’s (the State Tourism Office) job to get the visitors to come to the state of Ohio. It’s the local visitors bureau’s job to attract the visitors to the county, and the local businesses job to get them into their attraction, business or event. We all work together to make that happen.”

OACVB is a statewide organization serving CVBs throughout Ohio helping them to maximize the economic impact of tourism via effective communication, cooperative marketing, industry education, legislative awareness, issue management, trend identification and professional development.

To contact the Coshocton Visitors Bureau, go to www.VisitCoshocton.com or call 622-4877.

Category: Business

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