LAKE PLACID — The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism has received two awards from the New York State Tourism Industry Association in a ceremony that took place during the organization’s 2023 annual meeting in Rochester earlier this month.

The awards recognize outstanding initiatives and achievements of New York state’s destination marketing organizations, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses. Categories included marketing campaigns, destination management initiatives, location stewardship, innovation and leadership.

“The campaigns, initiatives, and projects submitted for the 2023 Tourism Excellence Awards illustrate the world-class work being done by New York’s tourism professionals,” said Bob Provost, president of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. “The caliber of the work nominated this year, coupled with the 40% YOY increase in nominations challenged the judges who reviewed and scored this year’s entries.”

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism received the NYSTIA “Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects and Programs: Creative Use of Data to Drive Success” award along with the “Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future” award.

NYSTIA’s “Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects and Programs: Creative Use of Data to Drive Success” award recognizes ROOST for its “Seasonal Abandon Site Emails” campaign. The campaign was designed to send a series of follow-up emails to consumers, showcasing activities, events and attractions within the Adirondack region, specifically based on their previous visits to one of the various Adirondack region websites. The follow-up emails provided curated and relevant information based on the website pages visited by each user.

These emails, sent to those who visited the Adirondack region websites, resulted in a 66% open rate, meaning that people who received them were interested in receiving this communication from the region, indicated by the percentage of those who read the email. Additionally, 20% who read the email took the additional step of engaging with the specific content that was sent in the email by following a website link.

ROOST also received the “Excellence in Tourism Stewardship: Shaping a Better Future” award for its work establishing the North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund, supporting community enhancement projects within the Lake Placid region.

As part of its mandate to support community projects that enhance resident and visitor experiences within local communities, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism worked with the Essex County Board of Supervisors to establish this funding opportunity. The fund is sustained through an additional 2% occupancy tax implemented by the Essex County Board of Supervisors in June of 2020. Occupancy tax is collected when people stay at a resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast or short-term rental property within the county. The funds are distributed to the 18 towns in Essex County and used to benefit residents and the experience of visitors to the region. The town of North Elba, to formalize the process, established the LEAF fund and an oversight committee to allocate its portion of the 2%.

According to ROOST Chief Operating Officer Mary Jane Lawrence, this funding provides the means for local organizations to enhance their local community, activities and programs.

“We are thrilled that so many local organizations have benefited from this grant funding — the funds support projects that impact residents and visitors alike,” she said. “A healthy community is a sustainable community and a great place to visit.”

The New York State Tourism Excellence Awards are open to all New York state tourism marketers and are juried by an impartial panel of industry experts under the auspices of the New York State Tourism Industry Association.