Presented by
Shop America Alliance,
U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council
September 14, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Rosemary McCormick
707-224-3795 office
707-494-8788 mobile
SASI-ONE 2015-16 Award Winners Honored at
ONE Travel Conference for Shopping, Dining & Cultural Tourism
A total of 14 SASI-ONE Awards (SASI = Shop America Salutes Innovation) for shopping and cultural tourism marketing excellence were presented at the annual SASI-ONE Awards Breakfast on Friday, September 9, during the ONE Travel Conference at Le Meridien Delfina in Santa Monica California. The awards are sponsored by CenterCal Properties in partnership with Shop America Alliance and the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council. Brandace Bruning, Vice President, CenterCal Properties serves as the SASI-ONE Awards Chairperson.
SASI-ONE Awards recognize prominent leaders in the tourism industry for their vision and commitment to developing shopping and cultural tourism. Along with the 6 SASI-ONE Gold Awards and 5 SASI-ONE Merit Awards for shopping and cultural tourism marketing excellence, 3 SASI-ONE Special Award Recipients were honored in the categories of TravMedia Tourism Journalist of the Year, Cultural & Heritage Tourism Destination of the Year and the Chairman’s Choice Award. The achievements of SASI-ONE Winners from throughout North and Latin America and the winners of the special awards were showcased in a video presentation that can be viewed at ONEtravelconference.com.
A prestigious panel of judges selected the SASI-ONE GOLD and Merit award winners. The 2016 judges were Jan Kroells, Vice President, Bloomington MN Convention & Visitors Bureau; Rose Hapanowich, Director of Travel & Tourism, Destiny USA and Christine Szalay Strange, Vice President, The Outlet Resource Group.
Global journalist April Orcutt has been named the 2016 TravMedia Travel Journalist of the Year. April was chosen from several thousand media subscribers to TravMedia, an international news distribution and media event company serving the public relations industry throughout the world. The award recognizes excellence in travel journalism in partnership with Shop America Alliance and the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Council. April Orcutt writes for National Geographic Traveler, TravelandLeisure.com, the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Dallas Morning News and more.
The Art Institute of Chicago was selected as the Cultural & Heritage Tourism Destination of the year by the US Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council.
This special award recognizes organizations that demonstrate leadership, marketing creativity and dedication to promoting cultural and heritage tourism. A distinguished panel of Judges including: Megan Smith, Vermont Department of Tourism; Carolyn Feimster, CJF Marketing International; Carol Kendra, The Henry Ford; Kim Priez, New Orleans CVB; Ruby Harper, American’s for the Arts and David Singleman representing last year’s award recipient, The J. Paul Getty Trust, selected The Art Institute of Chicago for its innovative campaign titled Van Gogh’s Bedroom.
The SASI-ONE Awards are presented annually at the ONE Travel Conference. To view the video award presentation of the 2015-16 SASI-ONE Awards and or information about entering the 2017 Awards, visit ONETravelConference.com or call 707-224-3795.
SASI-ONE 2015-16 GOLD Award Winners:
Category: Single Shopping Center Location
The Outlets at Assembly Row, Boston
Exclusive China Shopping Promotion with Hainan Airlines and MOTT
Honorees: Carolyn J. Feimster, The Outlets at Assembly Row
Macerich & Scottsdale Fashion Square
Fan Fest Scottsdale-- Intercepting Super Bowl Action
Honorees: Emily Gress & Kate Birchler, FanFest at Scottsdale Fashion Square, Macerich
Category: Multi-Center Shopping Centers
Fashion Island/Irvine Spectrum Center
Ctrip's Style Week OC Shopping Sweepstakes
Honorees: Easther Liu, Chief Marketing Officer/SVP Marketing, Irvine Retail PropertiesKathy Anderson, President, Anderson Retail Tourism Properties
Scarlett Xing - High End and Overseas Business Manager, CTRIP
Diana Parsel – Tourism Manager, Irvine Company Retail Properties
Alissa Sagud – Marketing Manager, Fashion Island
Sofie Lejejs –Marketing Director, Irvine Spectrum Center
Melissa Robles – Marketing Manager, Irvine Spectrum Center
Fashion Island/Irvine Spectrum Center
Style Week OC Mexico Media Fam
Honorees: Easther Liu, Chief Marketing Officer/SVP Marketing, Irvine Retail PropertiesCategory: Destination Management Organization
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Bookit Week Vegas Fall 2015
Honorees: Shop Las Vegas Partners, Kelly Messina, Las Vegas CVAJoanna Verner, Bookit.com
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
American Airlines Vacations 2016 Scavenger Hunt
Honorees: Shop Las Vegas Partners, Art Jimenez, Las Vegas CVAChris Ames, American Airlines Vacations
SASI-ONE 2015-16 MERIT Award Winners:
Category: Single Shopping Center Location
Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto, Canada
World Class Service – Yorkdale’s Tourism Program
Honorees: Lesley Boughen, Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Oxford Properties Group
Category: Destination Management Organization
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Shop America Tours Club Social Media Contest 2015
Honorees: Shop Las Vegas Partners, Art Jimenez, Las Vegas CVAShop America Alliance
Category: Travel Partner
Wellness Tourism Worldwide
Wellness Travel Academy
Honoree: Camille Hoheb, Founder, Wellness Tourism Worldwide
Conde Nast Mexico y Latinoamerica
Vogue Travel and Shop Guide
Honorees: Rosa Gardea, Conde Nast Mexico y Latinoamerica
Category: Market Research
Mandala Research and Sustainable Travel International
The Role of Sustainability in Travel & Tourism
Honorees: Laura Mandala, Mandala Research and
Brian Mullis, Sustainable Travel International
SASI-ONE 2016 Special Awards:
Chairman’s Choice Award:
MacDonald’s Pay with Love
TravMedia Tourism Journalist of the Year
April Orcutt, Travel Writer
Cultural Heritage Destination of the Year
The Art Institute of Chicago
ONE Travel Conference for Shopping, Dining and Cultural Tourism is produced annually by Shop America Alliance and the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council. The Conference brings together leaders in the travel industry to focus on The Power of Partnership, speaking with ONE Voice. The 2016 ONE Travel Conference was held at Le Meridien Delfina in Santa Monica California September 7-9. For more information visit ONETravelConference.com or call 707-224-3795.
Shop America Alliance is the travel trade organization representing hundreds of the premier shopping tourism destinations, retailers, shopping centers and outlets in America. Founded in 1998, Shop America Alliance co-produces the annual ONE Travel Conference and SASI-ONE Awards and The Cultural Traveler guidebook, publishes Shop America Magazine and markets more than 100 shopping tours and cultural heritage experiences in 40 cities. For more information, visit shopamericatours.com or call 707-224-3795.
US Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council (USCHT) is a travel trade association with the mission to market U.S. cultural and heritage tourism experiences. USCHT represents leading U.S. tourism destinations, attractions and travel partners engaged in marketing U.S. cultural and heritage to travelers throughout the United States and around the world, co-produces the annual ONE Travel Conference and SASI-ONE Awards and The Cultural Traveler guidebook and sponsors market research on the Cultural and Heritage Traveler. For more information, visit TheCulturalTraveler.com or call 760-703-6020.
###