Locals Honored for Travel Excellence
Heritage Corridor Destinations was 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 Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Heritage Corridor Destinations received a Silver Adrian Award for its winning entry in the Integrated Campaign – Innovation category for “The Great American Road Trip.” The organization was also honored with a President’s Award for this campaign, denoting it was the highest scoring campaign in its budget range.
“I’m so proud of our team and the creative effort they put into The Great American Road Trip,” said Robert Navarro, President/CEO of Heritage Corridor Destinations. “The partnership with WJOL and Scott Slocum was the perfect match for this memorable campaign.”
The Great American Road Trip celebrated The First Hundred Miles of Route 66 with a marathon of radio remote broadcasts across the country by WJOL morning host Scott Slocum. Scott and Heritage Corridor Destinations worked together to plan the route, collect interviews from luminaries along the way, and produce 10, live morning shows on 1340AM WJOL and streaming nationwide.
The shows, interviews, and accompanying articles and videos documented the incredible people and stories along the Route, especially in the Heritage Corridor region, and inspired people to plan their Route 66 road trips at TheFirstHundredMiles.com.
The Adrian Awards, now in their 67th year, are the largest and most prestigious competition in global travel marketing. For 2023, Adrian Awards were 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).
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.”