Destination Augusta has earned statewide recognition by winning two awards at this year’s Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus’ annual conference in Cartersville, Ga.
First launched in April 2023, Destination Augusta’s Authentic Augusta Experience created a new immersive product for visitors and locals by featuring 10 local tours, workshops and demonstrations.
In light of the collection’s success in implementing a new development and marketing plan, Destination Augusta received the Georgia Trend Travelblazer Award and The Bill Hardman Sr. Tourism Champion Award for Product Development.
“I am proud of the team at Destination Augusta and our 10 Authentic Augusta Experience Collection partners,” said Destination Augusta President and CEO Bennish Brown. “This work was challenging, but satisfying, and gives our destination a new product to draw in visitors and engage locals.”
The Hardman recognition is typically given to a tourism partner, agency or individual for outstanding work in attracting capital investments for tourism projects, while the Travelblazer award is given to celebrate multi partner collaboration and creative product development.
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“During the development of the Authentic Augusta Experience Collection, Destination Augusta worked with 10 partners through a year-long development process … each experience engages all five senses to etch lasting memories for visitors,” said Vice President of Destination Development and Community Engagement Jennifer Bowen.
After receiving their first Hardman award in 2019 for the development of Augusta & Co., located at 1010 Broad St., Bowen said Destination Augusta staff were thrilled to once again be honored by the GACVB.
“It is particularly exciting to win the Bill Hardman Sr. Tourism Product Development award again.” she said.
Also deemed one of the state’s top tourism trends, Destination Augusta was awarded one of the five 2024 Travelblazer awards from Georgia Trend, which will be featured in the July issue of Georgia Trend.
Of the 10 organizations that partnered to create the Authentic Augusta Experience Collection, eight are non-profit cultural attractions and the remaining two are owner/operator entrepreneurs.
“The goal was to craft immersive experiences to revitalize cultural attractions and embrace two small businesses giving each a new source for revenue,” said Sarah Childres, Destination Augusta’s Experience and Community Development manager. “With the combined efforts of these experience teams at each venue, we have developed a way to connect with locals and visitors in a way they can only experience in our city.”
Competing against “strong competition” statewide, Brown said he believes Destination Augusta was awarded because of his team’s heavy research into tourism and creative solutions for attracting more visitors.
“We zeroed in on what research is saying, and I definitely think what was most impressive about [the collection] was the depth of partnership,” he said. “We’re also very conscious that you don’t just create these products for businesses – you have to remain supportive and keep marketing.”
In future, Brown said Destination Augusta staff plans to keep releasing more experiences and two more themed paths, similar to the recently released coffee tasting trail.
“We were very pleasantly surprised, excited and honored about the awards,” he said. “But we’ll continue to remain supportive of the other Authentic Augusta Experiences, and we’re looking forward to releasing two more themed trails before the end of the year.”
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education, lifestyle and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
