A Huge Honor for Heritage Corridor Destinations And WJOL Radio

Heritage Corridor Destinations will be honored for travel marketing excellence  by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) at the annual  Adrian Awards Celebration at the New York Marriott Marquis, February 13, 2024. 

Heritage Corridor Destinations will receive a Silver Adrian Award for its winning entry in the Integrated Campaign – Innovation category for The Great American Road Trip. The organization will also be honored with a President’s Award for this campaign, denoting it  was the highest scoring campaign in its budget range. 

“We’re thrilled to have our hard work on this innovative campaign recognized by HSMAI,”  said Robert Navarro, President/CEO of Heritage Corridor Destinations. “With the Route 66 Centennial coming in 2026, we’re focused on bringing new attention to this iconic American road trip and increasing the economic impact of visitors to our communities.” 

The Great American Road Trip celebrated The First Hundred Miles of Route 66 with a marathon of radio remote broadcasts across the country by WJOL morning host Scott Slocum. Scott and Heritage Corridor Destinations worked together to plan the route, collect interviews from luminaries along the way, and produce ten live morning shows on 1340AM WJOL and streaming nationwide. The shows, interviews, and accompanying articles and videos documented the incredible people and stories along the Route, especially in the Heritage Corridor region, and inspired people to plan their Route 66 road  trips at TheFirstHundredMiles.com.

The Adrian Awards, now in their 67th year, are the largest and most prestigious competition in global travel marketing. For 2023, Adrian Awards are being presented in advertising, digital, PR/communications, and integrated campaign categories, as well as Trending categories for Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).  

This year’s theme, WanderLOVE, highlights the stories of remarkable ads, campaigns, and  experiences that sparked a love for travel, igniting a desire for exploration among travelers worldwide. 

“The Adrian Awards celebrate the innovation and ingenuity that fuel our success and recognize the marketing leaders whose extraordinary efforts literally ‘open the doors’ to exploration and excitement,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of  HSMAI. “Their work inspired the world to get out and create memories through travel, and  HSMAI is proud to honor them.” 

The Adrian Awards Celebration is a must-attend industry event that annually attracts leading hospitality, travel, and tourism marketing executives and their agencies. Winning  entries will be viewable in the winners’ gallery following the February 13 Celebration. Visit  https://adrianawards.hsmai.org/ for more information on the event and competition.  

About HSMAI 

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing  business for hotels and their partners and is the industry’s leading advocate for intelligent,   sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners  with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, and HSMAI ROC. Founded in  1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with  40 chapters in the Americas Region. 

About Heritage Corridor Destinations 

Heritage Corridor Destinations ignites, influences, and impacts the visitor experience through tourism partnerships within the communities and counties along the historic I&M Canal National  Heritage Corridor, The First Hundred Miles of Route 66, and beautiful Starved Rock Country.  Heritage Corridor Destinations is the officially certified bureau for the following counties: Bureau, Grundy, LaSalle, Livingston, Putnam, and Will. Visit HCDestinations.com and TheFirstHundredMiles.com for more information.