Print, digital campaigns receive bronze and silver recognition in the state’s largest tourism competition
SOMERSET, KENTUCKY (November 20, 2024) — Lake Cumberland Tourism brought home four coveted Traverse Awards for Excellence in Kentucky Tourism last week from the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA).
The awards were presented during the 2024 KTIA annual conference Nov. 13-15 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington. Lake Cumberland Tourism received two silver and two bronze awards in the competition, which received a record-breaking 227 entries this year and is considered the state’s largest and most prestigious contest.
“It is an incredible honor and achievement to receive these awards, not only because of how many entries are received, but because we compete against destinations of any size and budget,” Lake Cumberland Tourism Executive Director Michelle Allen said. “I am so proud of this recognition, as we made a concerted effort during the last two years to market our community in unique and creative ways. These awards are the fruit of that labor.”
Lake Cumberland Tourism’s awards included the following projects:
- Bronze Traverse Award, PR Initiative, “Real Life, Unsalted™” — A PR initiative developed by Triple Edge Creative, the goal of the “Real Life, Unsalted™” concept was to build a connection and generate excitement with residents, tourists, and local businesses by giving them a way to describe their real, authentic experiences on Lake Cumberland. Visitors often describe a sense of euphoria when passing a waterfall on a Lake Cumberland boat ride or watching live music with thousands in downtown Somerset — they just can’t believe they’re having such a wonderful time, and they didn’t have to be on the ocean to do it. This campaign tapped into these authentic experiences through powerful imagery, video and language carried across digital and print media and influencer content to help potential visitors imagine their next “Real Life, Unsalted™” adventure on Lake Cumberland.
- Bronze Traverse Award, Print, Lake Cumberland visitors’ guide — Lake Cumberland Tourism’s most recent visitors’ guide, with content and design creation by Triple Edge Creative, leans into Somerset and Pulaski County’s visual beauty and carries through the Real Life, Unsalted™ marketing campaign as it shares the numerous experiences visitors can have on and off the water. The visitor’s guide connects readers to complete listings on Lake Cumberland Tourism’s website through QR codes while giving overviews of the many things to do and see in Somerset-Pulaski County. It also includes a full lake map, highlighting marinas and recreational areas across Lake Cumberland’s 101 miles, as well as an insert dedicated to downtown Somerset that lists its shopping, entertainment and recreational opportunities.
- Silver Traverse Award, Website, lctourism.com — Lake Cumberland Tourism launched a new website in 2023, developed by KSD, that also embraces the Real Life, Unsalted™ campaign as well as photos and video that showcase the community through visual storytelling. The site offers a robust calendar of events plus full listings of restaurants, nightlife, shopping, entertainment and outdoor adventure opportunities. It also offers a complete listing of accommodations, from hotels to camping to vacation rentals, allowing users to search rentals by bedroom size.
- Silver Traverse Award, “What Type of Lake Cumberland Visitor Are You?” Quiz — This interactive quiz campaign was developed by The 21st Agency to attract new Lake Cumberland visitors. The campaign focused on boosting email sign-ups, increasing website traffic, and enhancing Lake Cumberland’s social media presence using four traveler personas — the Family Fun Fan, the Adventure Seeker, the Relaxation Lover and the Outdoor Explorer. Quiz participants received curated experiences by email tailored to their travel type. After launching the quiz, Lake Cumberland Tourism shared engaging content across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to drive participation, which included more than 280 unique completions.
Kentucky travel and tourism businesses and marketing organizations vie for Traverse Awards in 11 categories. A panel of out-of-state tourism industry experts judges the entries, with award criteria including concept, creativity, results and impact.
“Even more than the record-breaking 227 award entries received this year, our judges were struck by the entries’ quality and creativity and by their positive impact on communities throughout the Commonwealth,” KTIA President and CEO Hank Phillips said. “The 2024 Traverse Awards competition was by far the most intense ever, and clearly reflects why tourism in Kentucky continues its record-setting pace in visitation and economic impact.”
The Kentucky Travel Industry Association represents and serves all segments of Kentucky’s tourism industry, which despite the pandemic’s severe impact, contributed $13.8 billion to Kentucky’s economy in 2023. The nearly 1,000-member association engages in advocacy and provides its members with education, information and business development opportunities. The association also informs the public of the enormous economic, employment and tax revenue contributions tourism makes to the people of Kentucky.
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Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky is The Capital of Lake Cumberland, where every year more than 4 million visitors enjoy “real life, unsalted™” on Lake Cumberland’s more than 1,200 miles of shoreline and 63,000 surface acres of water. Boating, watersports, hiking, camping, mountain biking, outdoor art, culinary excellence and a robust entertainment scene combine to deliver an authentic southern Kentucky adventure. For more information about where to stay, dine, shop or explore, visit lctourism.com.
