TourismAward2Grand Forks (CSi) Jamestown Tourism has received the Tourism Organization of the Year award at the 2016 North Dakota Travel and Tourism Conference in Grand Forks.

TourismAward3Seven Governor’s Travel and Tourism awards were distributed during the annual event, which focuses on the different aspects of tourism in the state as well as new technology and services. During the event, Jamestown was announced as the Tourism Organization of the Year.

The Tourism Organization of the Year is presented to an organization, like a public tourism attraction, public recreation area, convention and visitors bureau, chamber of commerce, etc., which has demonstrated a positive impact on the local, regional and statewide tourism industry. Judging will be based on creativity, innovation and measurable results in the areas of tourism promotion or development.

The winner of the Tourism Organization of the Year Award has gone through some major changes in the last year and a half. From rebranding- the name of the organization, these partners have dug into who they are and what they can offer not only to visitors but also regional tourism partners.

This year, this organization partnered with smaller surrounding communities on ads and projects to lift up multiple communities at the same time. One such project was to sponsor a “Lunch & Learn” in Sioux Falls, SD for 30+ International Tour Operators as part of the RMI Roundup. Additional partnerships were formed to help improve and promote outdoor opportunities such as trails and camping: an example of this partnership is the new Bike Repair Station at Pipestem Recreation area. Partnerships with local attractions developed into more serious work on strategy and cross-promotion to lay the groundwork for a better visitor experience. More time was invested into a partnership with the marketing program at the local university to help generate a greater interest in the hospitality industry.

Their new brand was launched and since this time they have been working diligently to create higher quality promotional pieces – one of which won an Addy award, to develop more professional photography and to invest more time to increase their online presence. 2015 was the first full year of the new brand as well as the launch of a new online calendar system that allows anyone in the area to enter activities into one platform to showcase all the events that happen in the region.

This year’s Tourism Organization of the Year is Jamestown Tourism!