For Immediate Release, June 2013

Local Hospitality and Tourism Leaders Honored for Dedicated Service

June 2013 (Charleston, S.C.) — The Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CACVB) presented nine Golden Pineapple Awards in recognition of outstanding service to the local hospitality industry during the Travel Council Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 11, 2012. More than three hundred and fifty attendees gathered at the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex to applaud the Golden Pineapple Aware recipients and to hear travel industry insights from luncheon keynote speaker Irene Schneider, Condé Nast Traveler Executive Service and Surveys Editor. Charleston was voted the Top U.S. City in both the 2011 and 2012 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, the magazine’s esteemed annual competition, which Schneider has spearheaded since 1989.

Since the CACVB’s inception in 1985, the Golden Pineapple Awards have recognized individuals who promote positive growth of tourism, the Charleston area’s largest industry. This year’s recipients included the following:

Kiawah Island Golf Resort was honored for is extraordinary achievement with hosting the 2012 PGA Championship, which yielded an economic boon for the Charleston area and extensive international broadcast coverage of the destination.

JetBlue was honored for its new service to the Charleston International Airport with daily, direct, nonstop service to Boston and New York City.

BB&T Charleston Wine & Food Festival and Patrick Properties were honored for helping coordinate and host the live announcement of the 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalists as well as a dinner that featured sixteen of Charleston’s most celebrated chefs.

The Cooper River Bridge Run was honored for its long-running success as a top tier athletic event and major annual draw

The College of Charleston was honored for its collaborative effort with the CACVB’s successful pitch to bring the NBC TODAY Show to Charleston for two special editions of the Kathie Lee and Hoda Show, which were broadcast from the College’s Cistern Yard.

Akilah Edwards, CACVB Customer Service Coordinator, was honored for ten years of outstanding service.

Walter McCants, CACVB Director of Visitor Services, was honored for ten years of outstanding service.

Additionally, Isle of Palms Mayor Dick Cronin was honored with the Barrett Lawrimore Tourism Leadership Award for his wisdom, guidance, and positive contributions to the local hospitality and tourism industries.

The mission of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is to unify and lead the local travel industry in marketing the Charleston area as an individual, meeting, incentive and group destination to both the domestic and international markets. Explorecharleston.com


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