Sweet Owen Magazine receives KTIA recognition

The Owen County Tourism & Convention Commission has received a Traverse Award for Excellence in Tourism from the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA). The award was presented during the 2022 KTIA Annual Conference held Nov. 9-11 at the Griffin Gate Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Lexington.

The Owen County Tourism & Convention Commission received a Bronze Traverse Award for Sweet Owen Magazine in the Printed Advertising and Printed Collateral category. The recognition is the first from KTIA for Owen County.

“We began publishing Sweet Owen Magazine just one year ago, so to receive this honor for a brand new publication with only three issues eligible for submission speaks volumes to the quality and impact of the publication,” Owen County Tourism Director Holly Bowling said. “It is an honor for us to use this magazine to educate visitors and residents alike on all our county has to offer.”

Kentucky travel and tourism businesses and marketing organizations vie for Traverse Awards in 11 categories. The Traverse Awards are judged by a panel of out-of-state travel and tourism industry experts. Award criteria include concept, creativity, results, and impact. A total of 160 entries were submitted from throughout Kentucky for the competition.

“This year’s Traverse Awards were marked by comments from our judges about the exceptional across-the-board quality of the entries,” KTIA President and CEO Hank Phillips said. “As tourism in Kentucky continues its recovery, it is apparent that the industry is stepping up with creative and results-oriented strategies for capturing prospective visitors’ attention and, ultimately, their decisions to visit the commonwealth. These awards are a testament to the expertise of Kentucky’s tourism professionals and reflect why tourism remains a major driver of Kentucky’s economy.”

KTIA represents and serves all segments of Kentucky’s tourism industry, which despite the pandemic’s severe impact, contributed $11.2 billion to Kentucky’s economy in 2021. The nearly 1,000-member association engages in advocacy and provides its members with education, information, and business development opportunities. The association also works to inform the public of the enormous economic, employment, and tax revenue contributions tourism makes to the people of Kentucky.