Showcase

South County: Take a bow. The natural beauty of South County has once again won over the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). The South County Tourism Council won Gold in the 2010 annual awards competition in the Visitors’ Guide – Marketing Budget Less than $400,000 category.

This awards competition, now in its 19th year, honors the “best of the best” in travel writing, photography and promotion that cover all aspects of the travel industry worldwide. SCTC’s submission was its 100-page South County Style Vacation Planner. The magazine features information on all of the 11 towns which constitute the leisure destination known as South County, accompanied by gorgeous photography of 449-square mile region.

Can there be a greater compliment than to be recognized by the North American Travel Journalists Association yet again this year?” said Myrna George, president and CEO of  SCTC. “The breadth and scope of this publication is a testament to more than the beauty of our destination, it is also speaks to the dedication of a small team of passionate professionals and a supportive board of directors who market South County’s ‘unique sense of place’.”

This is the second time SCTC has been recognized by NATJA. In 2008, South County Style Vacation Planner was recognized for its Editorial Excellence in Best Travel Magazine category, along with National Geographic.

“We are extremely pleased with this year’s entries; they were outstanding, both in quality of work and range of coverage,” said Helen Hernandez, CEO of the NATJA. “The number of entries is the largest we have ever received and the level of creativity and professionalism is reflective of the vibrancy of the travel journalists’ community. I also believe this year’s entry pool is an indication of the overall economic recovery and its positive effect on the travel industry.”

NATJA is the second largest travel media association in North America. Members include travel media professionals, convention and visitors bureaus, social media, hotels and attractions, and other travel marketing agencies. Members are provided with professional development workshops, peer-to-peer evaluation, web tools and networking opportunities. NATJA also publishes Travelworld International Magazine (www.travelworldmagazine.com). For more information about NATJA or a complete list of 2010 award-winners, visit www.natja.org.