The first award presented to the bureau was in the Visitor Guide Category, with a budget of less than $300,000.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition from The Ohio Travel Association,” stated Deanna York, designer of the guide and executive director of the Darke County Visitors Bureau. “Even though our yearly budget is less than half of our peers in this category, this recognition confirms that Darke County has a tourism draw due to the heritage, nature and culture of this area.”
“The Official Visitors Guide for Darke County was designed to resemble the look and feel of a lifestyle magazine,” stated York, “When developing the layout and feel of the guide, one of the main ideas was to share the warm hospitality and smiling faces found in our community.”
The Official Visitors Guide for Darke County is on display and available at tourist information centers, attractions, accommodations and restaurants across the State of Ohio. Local folks are encouraged to stop by the new Welcome Center in downtown Greenville to pick up guides for family reunions, weddings or for visiting friends and family, or visit any one of the brochure racks located in attractions, accommodations and restaurants across Darke County. Guides are also available at local festivals and events, and by calling the bureau at (937) 548-5158 or via email at info@visitdarkecounty.org. Information and daily updates are also available on Facebook on the bureau’s fan page, “Darke County Visitors Bureau.”
The second RUBY Citation of Excellence presented to the Darke County Visitors Bureau was in the Direct Mail Category, with a budget category of under $300,000.
The objective of the "We All Have a Story to Tell" direct mail piece was to encourage local citizens to volunteer at the new welcome center and reminisce about our beautiful community all while welcoming and providing valuable information to visitors.
The postcard has been and will continue to be distributed to locals through one-on-one conversations at fairs and festivals, as well as through a direct mailing to a specific, targeted audience in our community.
“The direct mail piece delivers a strong call to action in messaging and photography,” shared York. “The photography showcases locals enjoying the best of Darke County's events and attractions. The messaging encourages those interested to call, email and visit the website.” York worked with Chris Denlinger with Aurora Marketing Group to design and develop the volunteer campaign. Aurora Marketing Group located in downtown Greenville, has a diverse background in advertising, marketing and design to help businesses achieve their marketing goals.
The Darke County Visitors Bureau has been a member of The Ohio Travel Association for 17 years. In addition, Executive Director, Deanna York served on this state board for 2 terms, and holds the honor of 2011 graduate of the Ohio Tourism Leadership Academy.
To learn more about Darke County Tourism, go online to VisitDarkeCounty.org. Follow us on Facebook for daily updates at DarkeCountyOhio.
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