Dutchess Tourism Inc., Presents Awards of Distinction at 1st Anniversary Celebration
Dutchess Tourism, Inc. (DTI) celebrated its first year as its own entity and 31 years of facilitating tourism industry growth in Dutchess at an awards reception held at the Marriott Pavilion at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park on July 14. Tourism is a major contributor to the economy of the region, thanks to the tremendous partnership between DTI and the many different tourism related businesses located in Dutchess.
President and CEO of DTI Mary Kay Vrba said, “We’re excited to celebrate our first year as Dutchess Tourism, Inc.! We’ve come a long way since 1984, when visitor spending was $94 million, generating $950,000 in Dutchess County sales tax. For the first time, visitor spending here exceeded a half a billion dollars, coming in at $508.9 million in 2014, an increase of 5.7% over 2013.”
Visitors’ expenditures generated Dutchess County sales tax revenue of $35.9 million and $27.7 million in New York State tax, representing a 15.9% increase over 2013 revenue. Tourism supports 9,556 full-time equivalent jobs in Dutchess County, an 8.8% increase from 2013. In conjunction with BBG&G Advertising, Dutchess Tourism’s award-winning advertising and outreach efforts draw tourists from all over the world.
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro said, “Tourism is truly an economic generator for Dutchess County, one that brings in jobs and revenue. Tourism gives us an invaluable chance to showcase what sets Dutchess County apart and makes us unique. From all corners of the world, and for countless reasons, visitors flock to Dutchess County each year. Through Dutchess Tourism’s efforts and our aggressive strategy, visitors learn about the endless opportunities to make their stay here memorable. After experiencing all we have to offer, they return home and let others know Dutchess County is a worldwide destination.
He continued, “Our Distinctly Dutchess brand and campaign is strengthened by those in our arts, historical, recreational and agricultural communities. We celebrate their success as we are grateful for revenue, visitor spending and tourism related job growth.”
In recognition of those who have helped achieve this success, the agency presented The Dutchess Tourism Awards of Distinction. The winners were announced at the celebration by Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro and DTI Board Chair Andrea Reynolds, along with DTI President & CEO Mary Kay Vrba. Dutchess Tourism extends its congratulations to all of the winners in 2015.
The winner of the Dutchess County Executive’s Award for Overall Distinction was:
• Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, Millerton
The winner of the Arts Award of Distinction was:
• Half Moon Theatre and The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park
The winner of the Culinary Award of Distinction was:
• Towne Crier Café, Beacon
The winner of the Family Entertainment Award of Distinction was:
• Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, Poughkeepsie
The winners of the History Award of Distinction were:
• National Park Service, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt Sites, & National Archives Records Administration, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park
The winner of the Outdoors Award of Distinction was:
• Mount Gulian Historic Site Gardens, Beacon
The winner of the Hospitality Award of Distinction:
• Amanda Pugliese, Sales Manager, Hampton Inn Fishkill
The Culinary Institute of America was a sponsor of the food served at the Anniversary Celebration, with an emphasis on locally sourced, farm fresh vegetables and locally produced cheeses, wines and other food products, including those from our partners, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, Dutch’s Spirits and Crown Maple at Madava Farms.
Gold Sponsors of the event included Amtrak; Arts Mid-Hudson; BBG&G Advertising; Taste NY Store at Todd Hill, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Dutchess County; Crown Maple at Madava Farms; The Culinary Institute of America; Dutchess County Fair; Health Quest; Professional Computer Associates; and SplashDown Beach.
Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley have been recognized as top destinations for travel, food, and wine. Dutchess is proud of the numerous accolades it’s received, including: Fodor’s Go List for the Top 25 Destinations; National Tour Association’s Courier Magazine Distinguished Dozen Gold Medal Award for Favorite Culinary Destination; and luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler Best Places To Vacation: 2014 Editor’s Favorite Trips, Beacon, New York . In addition, Wine Enthusiast Magazine chose New York State as Wine Region of the Year 2014. In 2013, National Geographic Traveler awarded a “Best of the World” distinction, calling the Hudson Valley one of the “Top 20 Must See Places” to travel.
Dutchess County is the place to visit, home to many unique places to see and things to do. Our culinary scene, outdoor recreation, arts and culture, historic landmarks, and natural scenic landscape make us Distinctly Dutchess, which is the Dutchess Tourism marketing theme for 2015. Their office is located at 3 Neptune Road in Suite A11A in Poughkeepsie and they can be reached at 845-463-4000.
Photos are attached and more taken by photographer Franc Palaia are available on demand.
The programs provided by this agency, Dutchess Tourism, Inc. in Poughkeepsie, are partially funded by monies received from the County of Dutchess.
