Monday, April 9, 2012

Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority Wins Two 2012 New Jersey Excellence in Tourism Awards



Wildwoods received two Awards at the recent New Jersey Conference on Tourism for a 2011 Partnership/Cooperative Marketing Initiative and for their “Accolades” Print Advertising Campaign


The Wildwoods, NJ – April 9, 2012 – The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) received two 2012 New Jersey Excellence in Tourism Awards at this year’s  New Jersey Conference on Tourism: one for its 2011 Partnership/Cooperative Marketing Initiative with the Harlem Globetrotters; and another in the Print Advertising category for their  2011 “Accolades” Advertising Campaign.

John Siciliano, Executive Director of GWTIDA, accepted the award along with Ben Rose, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, on Thursday, March 15, at The Golden Nugget during the New Jersey Conference on Tourism Awards Ceremony in Atlantic City.

“We are excited to be recognized for our 2011 marketing efforts,” said John Siciliano, Executive Director for GWTIDA. “The exciting and amazing partnership with the Harlem Globetrotters Organization brought a new level of fun to the Wildwoods during our summer tourist season; and the Accolades Advertising Campaign gave us the opportunity to demonstrate, based on third-party recognition, that the Wildwoods are truly the best shore destination on the East Coast.”

GWTIDA partnered with the Harlem Globetrotters in 2011 to host the Organization’s only summer appearance in North America. GWTIDA and the Harlem Globetrotters Organization equally provided direct funding, marketing, advertising and public relations support for the four-day event, which took place at the Wildwoods Convention Center from Wednesday, August 10 through Saturday, August 13.

The success of the Harlem Globetrotters event in the Wildwoods exceeded all expectations and generated a tremendous amount of media for both the Wildwoods and the Harlem Globetrotters.  The Harlem Globetrotters Organization will return to the Wildwoods for another four-day event at the Wildwoods Convention Center in August 2012 from Wednesday, August 8 through Saturday, August 11.

The Wildwoods also received the award in the Print Advertising category for their “Accolades” Advertising Campaign. This fun and exciting campaign highlighted the accolades and distinctions the Wildwoods have earned from prestigious news, travel and online media such as Time.com, AOL, Trip Advisor, Bloomberg Newsweek, Sherman’s Travel, Forbes Traveler, National Geographic Traveler and more using bold messaging paired with a simple, yet distinctive color palette which provided an eye-catching look. Some accolades’ included: Top 10 Boardwalks in America, Best Beach Town in America, Top Ten Waterparks in the U.S., Top Ten Amusement Parks & Boardwalks in the United States and Best Beaches in New Jersey.

“The Wildwoods’ marketing team strives to create effective messages that keep our resort top of mind. Year after year our ad campaigns continue to win awards and more importantly, draw millions of visitors to our resort,” explained Ben Rose, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for GWTIDA.

“Congratulations to the Wildwoods for winning not one, but two awards this year! The Wildwoods’ innovative campaigns continue to draw millions of visitors to our great State, which in turn, contribute greatly to the economic prosperity of the Garden State,” said Grace Hanlon, Executive Director of the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism.

The New Jersey Conference on Tourism is an exciting and informative annual event that provides educational and networking opportunities to tourism industry professionals in New Jersey. This year’s conference was held March 14, 15 and 16, 2012 at Atlantic City’s Golden Nugget.

The Excellence in Tourism Awards Ceremony serves to honor the individuals and organizations that have contributed to the experience of visitors and the quality of life of New Jersey residents.
For more information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.

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About the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority

The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) was formed in 1993 to consolidate the tourism economy of its three founding municipalities: Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and North Wildwood. The Wildwoods have won numerous travel and tourism awards, heralding the resort for its beaches, boardwalk and attractions. In 2010, the Wildwoods Doo Wop Architecture was named “One of the Top Ten Architectural Wonders in America” by AOL.com. The Wildwoods were also named among Smarter Travel’s Ten Best Beach Towns in America in 2010, as well as one of Sherman’s Travel’s “Top Ten American Boardwalks” for the second year in a row. In 2009, the Wildwoods were selected as one of Time.com’s “50 Authentic American Experiences.” The Wildwoods made the list of “15 Destinations on the Rise” for TripAdvisor in 2012. In addition, the Wildwoods were also voted “Best Town” in the 2009 and 2011 PHL-17 Philly Hot List, Jersey Shore Edition contest. The Wildwoods were also named “Best Beaches in New Jersey” in the 2008, 2010 and 2011 Top Ten New Jersey Beaches public survey, sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. Wildwoods’ beaches were also named “Best Beach for Family Vacations,” “Best Beach for Tourism,” “Best Beach for Events,” “Best Beach for Eco-Tourism” and “Best Beach for Day Trips” in the same surveys. The Tourism Authority operates the Wildwoods Convention Center and acts as the island’s destination marketing organization overseeing the development, research, planning, marketing, advertising, promotion, public and media relations encompassing the tourism, meeting and convention industry in the Wildwoods. Additionally, the Authority funds, assists with and hosts more than 180 annual special events to enhance the visitor experience and extend the tourism season, including the Thunder On The Sand Race Series, Family Nights On The Boardwalk, Friday Night Fireworks, the New Jersey State Barbeque Championships and Anglesea Blues Festival, Classic Car Shows, the International Kite Festival, Irish and Italian Festivals and the National Marbles Tournament, among others. For more information about the Wildwoods, contact the GWTIDA at 1-800-WW-By-Sea (800-992-9732) or visit its web site, www.WildwoodsNJ.com.

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