MARKETING OUTLOOK FORUM unites the best and brightest in tourism marketing
Nominations for the 2023 Marketing Outlook Forum Awards are now open! The MOF Awards Program offers a wonderful opportunity to receive recognition from and among your peers!
Entrants are judged on quality, originality, creativity, usefulness, results, and benefits to the travel and tourism industry.
Award submissions are due by Friday, January 6, 2023. Winners will be notified by mid-January.
Awards will be announced at the 2023 Marketing Outlook Forum.
Awards Chair: Marlise Taylor, Visit NC – Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
2023 MOF AWARD CATEGORIES
CHERYL SCHUTZ AWARD
for Destination Marketing and Research Excellence
This award recognizes an individual or Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for research that resulted or contributed to key decisions that helped promote travel and tourism within their destination and the industry.
This award also highlights the tireless work of the researcher’s role to measure and support travel and tourism within their DMO and the industry.
Excellence is exemplified by the creation of an outstanding promotional strategy based on research and data, resulting in a superior profile-raising effort with significant, measurable results.
This initiative will have inspired the tourism organization or its constituents to change the course of the organization’s focus, which results in significant increases in measurable results.
REQUIREMENTS:
The recipient must be a tourism industry destination professional or DMO in good standing in the travel and tourism industry. Submissions must highlight the tireless work of using research to understand the market and target audience and how the research was used to promote and measure travel and tourism of their destination.
Submissions must be a one-to-two-page summary outlining the following:
- The issue being addressed, and the data and research designed or conducted (this could be independent or a third-party) that led to the solution.
- Show the measurable impact of the strategy and how it compared to initial goals:
- Increased number of visitors/guests
- Positive change in perception and awareness
- Increased revenue
- Cost savings
Show the measurable impact of the strategy and how it compared to initial goals:
- Increased number of visitors/guests
- Positive change in perception and awareness
- Increased revenue
- Cost savings
Include any creative materials that showcase these efforts
Submit a reference letter by someone in the organization who will independently verify the impact of this work.
CRITERIA:
This submission will be judged by a review committee that will examine the marketing strategy’s quality, the strategy’s execution, the strategic research utilized, and the measurable results.
AWARD:
The winning practitioner/DMO will receive a plaque, a one-year TTRA Organizational membership for their organization, and a $500 cash award.
J. Desmond Slattery Professional Marketing Award
The J. Desmond Slattery Professional Marketing Award is presented to the travel marketing professional who has made a significant contribution to travel and tourism marketing either nationally OR within their state, OR for their destination.
REQUIREMENTS:
- The nominee must be a professional employed in the travel marketing industry.
- Self-nominations are allowed as well as colleague nominations.
- The nominee is not required to be a current TTRA member.
- The person nominated will be judged on their contributions to the industry. Any programs, projects, or events for which they were responsible will be judged on their originality, creativity, clarity of message, outcomes or results, and overall marketing excellence.
- An entry for this award may not be submitted for any other TTRA award.
CRITERIA:
Submissions for award consideration must include the following information:
- A descriptive narrative of the background of the person nominated with information on any marketing-related program, project, or activity for which they were ultimately responsible with the attributes listed above.
- This work should have been completed between January 1, 2021, and the present. However, we do recognize that results for this time frame might not yet be available. Therefore, since this can also be an award for their efforts over the course of time, results for the past three years (January 2019-present) may also be submitted.
- Include supportive materials such as DVDs, posters, print advertising, etc. (any evidence of the nominee’s role in the project).
AWARDS RECIPIENT:
TTRA wishes to recognize the award winner with a plaque, complimentary registration to the 2023 Marketing Outlook Forum (attendance is expected), and a one-year Premier TTRA membership.
Previous Winners:
Emerging Leader Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award is presented to an emerging leader (formerly known as a young professional) employed in the travel and tourism industry. TTRA wishes to recognize this person for their commitment to increasing his/her expertise in the industry, demonstrated leadership abilities, and outstanding accomplishments that have added value to travel and tourism.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Emerging Leaders (early-career or new to the industry) who match the above-listed attributes must be nominated by a current TTRA member or member organization.
- No self-nominations are allowed.
- Nominees must have worked in the travel and tourism industry for at least one year.
CRITERIA:
To nominate a deserving person for award consideration, please submit the following information:
- A summary document detailing why this nominee should be considered for the award to include at least three examples of the above attributes (commitment, leadership, accomplishments) for the period covering January 1, 2021, to the present.
- Include supportive materials that reflect the listed attributes, such as resumes, press releases, recommendation letters, and links to programs or events.
John & Joan Markham Tourism Marketing Award
This award was established in honor of John and Joan Markham. John has provided over 30 years of dedicated service as the financial planner and treasurer for the Travel and Tourism Research Association. With Joan at his side, the two of them have been unfaltering in their support for TTRA over the years and are forever committed to its success.
REQUIREMENTS:
- The nominee must be an undergraduate or master’s level student (not a doctoral student) between January 2022 and December 2022.
- Although membership in TTRA is NOT a requirement, membership in any research organization should be noted.
CRITERIA:
Submissions for award consideration must include the following information:
Submit a five-page paper responding to:
- What are the trends likely to influence destinations over the next 20 years?
- How can destination marketing organizations best respond to those trends? The paper must focus on future trends and a tourism marketing response.
This paper must be completed by the award submission deadline.
Include two (2) recommendation letters from 2 different professors.
AWARDS RECIPIENT:
The award winner will receive a one-year student membership, a complimentary conference registration to the 2023 Marketing Outlook Forum, and paid travel expenses, including airfare, ground transportation (shuttle), and hotel accommodations. A check for $150 and a plaque will be presented to the winner. Round trip travel to the MOF and lodging arrangements will be made and paid for by the Travel and Tourism Research Association. (Attendance is expected.)
Previous Winners:
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions or are having difficulties with the awards submission site, please email info@ttra.com.
All submissions MUST be received by End of the Day, Friday, January 6, 2023, to be considered! There will be NO EXTENSIONS on this deadline.
The awards committee reserves the right not to present an award in any given year. Non-winners will not be notified.
