Oklahoma City, OK –The Oklahoma Travel Industry Association (OTIA) held its annual RedBud Awards at the Oklahoma History Center on June 14, 2022. Open to all Oklahoma tourism entities, the RedBud Awards represent the highest honor given in the Oklahoma tourism industry.
Emceed by Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell and Jenifer Reynolds, 37 awards were given in 17 categories. The awards recognize Oklahoma’s top tourism attractions, events, programs and organizations for outstanding efforts to serve and promote Oklahoma’s tourism industry.
Visit Shawnee received the RedBud award and was named small organization of the year. Visit Shawnee also won a Merit award for its Shawnee Twin Lakes brochure.
“This year’s RedBud Award submissions were highly competitive,” said Debra Bailey, OTIA President and CEO. “With travel picking back up, each submission is an example of why Oklahoma is a perfect travel destination and we are thrilled to be honoring these entries.”
Competition entries must have been produced, published, broadcast or held between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. All entries were evaluated by a slate of tourism professionals on specific criteria including customer service and experience, marketing effectiveness, media relations, variety of audiences reached, value and overall creativity.
The winners include:
OUTSTANDING AGRITOURISM ATTRACTION
RedBud: Simply Country Ranch
BEST SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Merit: Visit Norman – 2021 Visit Norman Digital Social Media Campaign
RedBud: Visit Ponca City – What’s Happening in Ponca City
RedBud: Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism – Visit Cherokee National Virtual Video Series
BEST BROCHURE OR PUBLICATION – ($10,000 or Less Budget)
Merit: Visit Shawnee – Shawnee Twin Lakes Brochure
Redbud: Oh18 – Oh18 Magazine May through June 2021
BEST BROCHURE OR PUBLICATION – ($10,000 or More Budget)
Merit: Visit Stillwater – Stillwater Guide to the Local Scene
Redbud: Chickasaw Country – Chickasaw Country 2021 Travel Guide
BEST OVERALL MARKETING CAMPAIGN – (Small Budget Organization)
Merit: Visit Claremore – Visit Claremore FY 21 – 22 Strategic Marketing Plan
Redbud: Tour Tahlequah – Tour Tahlequah Marketing Campaign
BEST OVERALL MARKETING CAMPAIGN – (Large Budget Organization)
Merit: Visit Norman – 2021 Visit Norman Marketing Campaign
Redbud: Visit Stillwater – Visit Stillwater Marketing Campaign
BEST WEBSITE
Merit: Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum
Redbud: Visit Shawnee
BEST PARTNERSHIP
Merit: Visit Claremore & the Board of County Commissioners of Rogers County
RedBud: Edmond Fine Arts Institute & Visit Edmond
OUTSTANDING MEDIA COVERAGE
Merit: Visit OKC
Merit: Chickasaw Country
Redbud: First Americans Museum
OUTSTANDING ATTRACTION
Merit: Visit Claremore – Claremore Mountain Bike Trails
Redbud: Shangri-La Resort – The Anchor at Shangri-La Resort
OUTSTANDING NEW ATTRACTION
Merit: Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism – Cherokee Nation History Museum
RedBud: First Americans Museum
OUTSTANDING TEMPORARY EXHIBIT
Merit: General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum – 9/11 Never Forget: 20th Year Memorial
RedBud: Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism – Sequoyah: An American Icon
OUTSTANDING EVENT Merit: Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma – Annual Choctaw Nation Pow Wow
RedBud: Citizen Potawatomi Nation – FireLake Firelight Balloon Festival
OUTSTANDING NEW EVENT
Merit: Dancing Rabbit Music Association – Dancing Rabbit Music Festival
RedBud: Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism – Cherokee Syllabary Bicentennial
BEST PANDEMIC RELATED CAMPAIGN
Merit: Visit Muskogee – Depot Green District: Summer Fun 2021
RedBud: Visit Claremore – Visit Claremore “Wish You Were Here” Campaign
Tourism Organization of the Year – Small Budget Organization Redbud: Visit Shawnee
Tourism Organization of the Year – Large Budget Organization Redbud: Visit Norman
