Alachua County tourism office wins top industry award
Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County is pleased to announce that the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau’s (VCB) “Sippin’ Seven Alachua County Ale Trail” digital passport marketing campaign has earned the state’s highest honor, the “Henry Award,” in the category of Niche Marketing at the 2024 Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism’s Visit Florida Flagler Award ceremony.
Named for Henry Flagler, the Flagler Awards recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida and honor individuals and organizations who help maintain and improve Florida’s position as one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. A panel of judges evaluated and scored nearly 260 entries submitted in 18 different categories. The highest-scoring entry in each category receives the coveted Henry Award.
“The Alachua County Ale Trail was designed to leverage a key tourism asset and elevate Alachua County’s reputation as a top craft brewery destination,” said Tourism Development Director Jessica Hurov. “This award reflects the collective efforts of our team and the support of our Tourist Development Council in boosting the local economy through increased visitor spending while highlighting all that Alachua County has to offer.”
Liz Reyes, Alachua County’s tourism development manager and campaign manager, and Bailey McClellan, the tourism program coordinator, are pictured above at the Tampa event accepting the award from Visit Florida CEO Dana Young.
“The Sippin’ Seven Alachua County Ale Trail digital passport campaign is a testament to the excellence of our area businesses and to the strong collaborative effort forged during the campaign between the VCB and our county’s award-winning craft breweries,” Reyes said.
The Sippin’ Seven Alachua County Ale Trail digital passport campaign drove 15,600 documented visits to Alachua County craft breweries. Pass holders represented 18 different states and Canada, and approximately 53% of pass holders were from outside of Alachua County.
“It is an honor to have Florida’s tourism industry leaders recognize the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureaus efforts,” said Alachua County Commissioner and Chair of the Tourist Development Council Marihelen Wheeler. “I am so proud of Jessica, her talented staff, and all of our tourism partners for earning this prestigious recognition and for their creative celebration of local culture through their effective initiatives.”
I am so glad to learn my county is following the duties required by their charter, specifically encouraging people to drink and drive. Yep, driving to all the breweries and drinking is Job One for the County Government (especially if it is out of towners), not fixing the roads or paying the ASO to arrest the drunk drivers on our pothole filled roads. Reelect this BOCC. We are blessed to have them.
Sweet Jesus, who sells these poor victimized women those shoes? I have seen better footwear on spavins mules.
Ugly! And that is with a major Ug!
This may well be repulsive to tourists.
You are offering shoe critiques instead of celebrating these amazing women and their accomplishments. What an annoying little pissant you are. Please post a link to your picture so I can critique your style choices. I doubt you have any accomplishments to share.
Are you serious? Should we go ahead and change the name to Drunkville? It’s just SOOOOO lowbrow.
Rustled your jimmies, did it? I am sure you have forgotten more about women’s shoe styles than I ever knew. And that’s your problem, YOU FORGOT.
Somebody will likely get murdered by an insane street person or run down by a speeding, swerving hooptie while sippin’ the trail, and their family will sue the county for $20 million.
LOL, bring your own body armor