DUBLIN, Va. – Pulaski County Tourism received a total of five awards at the annual Southwest Virginia Tourism Awards held in Wytheville, VA on August 22, 2022. These awards, presented by the Friends of Southwest Virginia, recognize the region’s tourism and marketing efforts.
In the “Excellence in Tourism Marketing” category, Pulaski County won awards for Best New Website and Best Social Media Campaign. When Pulaski County Tourism became an official department in January of 2021, they began working with 5 Points Creative, a creative marketing agency based in Roanoke, to strategically create a brand that would accurately represent tourism in Pulaski County. Through these efforts, the tourism website, visitpulaskiva.org, had over 5,000 visitors from May 2021 to January 202, and Pulaski Tourism social media accounts saw a 70% increase in average engagement
Thee Draper Village received the award for “Outstanding Tourism Partner of the Year”. The “Play Outside” design, which was created by The Village’s marketing team, became a staple part of the Pulaski County Tourism brand. Thee Draper Village sold shirts, mugs, bags, and stickers that included the “Play Outside” design and donated 50% of the profits from those items to Pulaski County Tourism.
Pulaski County Administrator, Jonathan Sweet, won the Shining Star Award for Tourism Executive of the Year. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Sweet saw an opportunity to create Pulaski County’s Tourism Department. Since the start of the department on January 1, 2021, Sweet has continued to be a key supporter and encourager for tourism efforts in Pulaski County.
In addition, Pulaski County Tourism also received the “Outstanding One-Day Event of the Year’' award for the Winterfest festival. The first Winterfest, held in December of 2021, attracted over 3,000 attendees consisting of locals, visitors, businesses, and industry. Various toys were donated by Phoenix Packaging and Lowe’s Fairlawn Woodworking Workshop, which were a highlight for the kids attending. Pulaski County High School Students, Pulaski County Parks and Recreation, and others helped bring the community closer together by participating in Winterfest