Contact:
Ken Vandruff
Director of Communications
kvandruff@gowichita.com
316.660.6305
Nov. 10, 2011
For immediate release
Go Wichita honors local tourism industry excellence
(Wichita, Kan.) - Go Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau recognized six individuals and three organizations for their excellence in promoting hospitality and tourism in the Wichita area during 2011. The awards were presented at the Go Wichita 2011 Travel Industry Outlook Annual Meeting held at Abode Venue on Nov. 10, 2011.
Go Wichita Tourism Awards were presented in four categories:
• Innkeeper of the Year - Comfort Suites Wichita Airport. This award honors a hotelier that has gone above and beyond the call of duty to its clients, Go Wichita and the community
• Destination Promotion Award - Wichita State University. This award acknowledges an individual, attraction or company that has demonstrated an outstanding effort to promote the Wichita area
• Distinguished Service Award - Becky Blake, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. This award recognizes an individual who has significantly given time, talents and resources to promote tourism locally, regionally and on a statewide basis
• Corporate Partnership Award - Visioneering Wichita, Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. This annual award recognizes an organization that has been an outstanding partner with Go Wichita to promote area travel and tourism.
In addition, Go Wichita presented the first awards in a new program created to honor outstanding employees at area hotel properties. The inaugural Stars of the Industry Awards were presented to:
• Front Desk Agent - Kara Romesburg, Hyatt Regency Wichita
• Housekeeper - Rosalba Camarena, Comfort Suites Wichita Airport
• Engineer - Jim Piland, Hyatt Regency Wichita
• Manager - Justin Ignoto, Best Western Airport Inn & Conference Center
• Spirit of Hospitality - Wanda Wohler, Hilton Wichita Airport.
"Wichita is blessed with a large number of people who are dedicated to making a visitor's experience the best it can be," said John Rolfe, Go Wichita president and CEO. "They understand that travel and tourism plays an important role in our area's economy and our economic development."
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