By SALINA POST
The Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau recently was honored by the Travel Industry Association of Kansas (TIAK).
Abilene CVB garnered two of the 2021 Marketing Awards announced last week during the 2021 Kansas Tourism Conference in Liberal.
The TIAK Marketing Awards are chosen annually to recognize excellence in destination marketing initiatives across the state. They are divided into six categories and broken out by the organization’s marketing budget: Large (over $100,000), Medium (20,000 – $100,000), and Small ($19,999 and under).
This year's winners include the following.
Visitor Guide (in-house)
Small Budget: Experience El Dorado
Medium Budget: Merriam Visitors Bureau
Large Budget: Visit Topeka
Visitor Guide (outsourced)
Medium Budget: Abilene CVB
Large Budget: Visit Kansas City Kansas
Online Marketing
Small Budget (tie): Caldwell Chamber of Commerce – Chisholm Trail Fest video and Great Bend CVB – Wetlands Wildlife Virtual Festival
Medium Budget: Merriam Visitors Bureau – New website
Large Budget: Visit Kansas City Kansas – KCK Taco Trail
Event
Small Budget: Wild West Country – Rooster Roundup
Medium Budget: Abilene CVB – Eisenhower Marathon
Large Budget: Visit Topeka – Thunder Over the Heartland airshow
Print Marketing
Small Budget: Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Association – Peace Treaty poster
Medium Budget: Newton CVB – children’s activity book
Large Budget: Visit Kansas City Kansas – New brand, logo, ads
Community Awareness
Small Budget: Experience El Dorado – Experience El Dorado campaign
Medium Budget: Visit Emporia – Repurposing of newspaper stands into visitor guide stands
Large Budget: Visit Topeka – Inclusive Topeka initiative
Best in Show
Visit Kansas City Kansas – KCK Taco Trail
People’s Choice
Visit Emporia – Repurposing of newspaper stands into visitor guide stands