By Discover Northwest Nebraska
CHADRON – Tourism businesses, attractions, employees and volunteers will be recognized for their valuable contributions to the Northwest Nebraska tourism industry with the recent creation of an awards program.
Discover Northwest Nebraska will honor a Business/Attraction of the Year, a Frontline Employee of the Year and a Volunteer of the Year for their efforts in the tourism industry during 2022. The program was announced last week at the organization’s Treasure Chest of the Northwest, the region’s annual tourism-industry gathering.
“Tourism generates more than $20 million in economic impact in Dawes County annually, and we want to encourage businesses, attractions, employees and volunteers in our region to go above and beyond to attract visitors and provide them with excellent customer service,” said Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp.
Nominations for the awards will be due March 1 each year, and they will be presented at the annual tourism gathering, Treasure Chest of the Northwest, each spring. Online nominations can be submitted at http://discovernwnebraska.com/industry-awards/.
Nearly five dozen members of the regional tourism industry gathered April 21 to prepare for the upcoming season. Customer service, marketing and industry resources were discussed, and a regional brochure exchange also took place. Northwest Nebraska, a cooperation between Dawes and Sioux counties, is coming off of its most successful tourism season. Highlights for the upcoming season include annual events such as Fur Trade Days, Crawford’s July 4 celebration and the Harvest Moon Fall Festival, as well as new additions like the Northwest Nebraska Volksmarch. The Dawes County Historical Museum will be featured on the Nebraska Passport Program and host a Smithsonian traveling exhibit, and the Museum of the Fur Trade is part of Nebraska History’s new Wander Nebraska program.
“We held our first Treasure Chest event in 2021, providing information for the upcoming tourism season and networking opportunities for businesses and attractions serving the regional tourism industry,” Rempp said. “This year’s event included expanded networking opportunities and a regional brochure exchange. We want industry representatives to have knowledge in their hands to answer traveler’s questions and provide a memorable visitor experience.”