ShelbyKY Tourism took home multiple honors during the annual Kentucky Travel Industry Association conference held November 14.
The ShelbyKY team was recognized with two Gold Traverse Awards and one Award of Distinction, which is presented in only seven divisions.
Award Of Distinction
ShelbyKY Tourism’s Kentucky Black Trailblazers project received an Award of Distinction and a Gold Traverse Award for Multi-Jurisdictional Project in the ARPA Funded Projects category.
Developed by ShelbyKY Tourism President & CEO Janette Marson, the Kentucky Black Trailblazers is a transformative, first-of-its-kind experience that celebrates the influential Black figures who shaped the history of the Commonwealth and beyond.
Two years of work went into creating the Kentucky Black Trailblazers experience, which includes 19 stops where users hear and see, via Augmented Reality, the stories of Muhammad Ali, Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Oliver Lewis, Civil Rights Leader Whitney M. Young, Jr., and more.
“We are thrilled with the recognition for Kentucky Black Trailblazers’ excellence among the 30+ other multi-jurisdiction projects launched in KY in the last year,” said Marson. “More than 200 people created the Kentucky Black Trailblazers including six tourism agencies in partnership – ShelbyKY, Louisville, Oldham County, Bardstown, Elizabethtown, and Shepherdsville-Bullitt County.”
Gold Traverse Awards
Additionally, ShelbyKY Tourism’s newly redesigned website received a Gold Traverse Award.
The website was the only one created by a single tourism bureau to receive a Gold Award this year.
ShelbyKY Tourism Marketing & Public Relations Director Mason Warren led the redesign of the website, which includes things to do, events, food & drink, places to stay, information to stay, and a robust blog.
KTIA reports that a record-breaking 200-plus entries were received this year.
The awards are judged by a panel of out-of-state travel and tourism industry experts.
ShelbyKY Tourism is also part of the Horses, Horsepower & Hollers tourism initiative, which received a Bronze Traverse Award from KTIA.
ShelbyKY Tourism is a member of KTIA, which serves the interests of Kentucky’s travel industry.
For more information about ShelbyKY Tourism, visit their website at visitshelbyky.com.
