CANTON – The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce hosted a lively celebration of tourism excellence at the Best Western University Inn in Canton on Wednesday, June 12. Themed “Seeing the Big Picture,” the event showcased tourism’s vital role in the county while considering three key elements: sustainability, education and engagement.
The evening began with a happy hour featuring live music and networking with over 50 industry partners from across the county, including St. Lawrence County Councilman John Jennett and State Assemblyman Scott Gray.
Networking concluded with a buffet dinner catered by Best Western followed by presentations by Tourism Director Tiff Amo and Tourism & Events Manager Catherine Puleo. The “big picture” presentations explained the key elements of sustainable tourism and the benefits to the local economy when the entire community is involved.
“One of the greatest benefits of having the chamber of commerce and tourism promotion agency together is that we have a very clear vision of the relationship between tourism and economic development, and we’re uniquely positioned to communicate that picture to residents, businesses and visitors alike,” Amo said. “It’s our mission to articulate the big picture we envision for St. Lawrence County in 2024 and beyond, and we aim to achieve that through sustainability, education and engagement,” Amo said.
The evening’s keynote speaker was sports tourism industry expert Grant MacDonald of Cimarron Global Solutions, who presented early findings, opportunities and strategies from a sports tourism project implemented in collaboration with the STLC Chamber of Commerce and funded by a grant from the New York State Department of Economic Development.
MacDonald, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, emphasized the strategic importance of strengthening local businesses, events and assets to attract visitors in sports tourism efforts. His presentation was part of a three-day visit to St. Lawrence County led by Ammo and former Tourism Director Brooke Rouse. The visit included meetings and site visits throughout St. Lawrence County, including a tour of the Brasher multi-use trail system, tours of athletic facilities at SUNY Canton, SUNY Potsdam, Clarkson University and St. Lawrence University, and site visits to facilities and locations in Ogdensburg, Waddington and Massena.
The highlight of the evening was the annual awards presentation. The 2024 “Best to the Guest” Tourism Excellence Award was presented to Otto’s Abode in Wanakena for outstanding customer service and unique offerings. In addition to being a grocery store and community gathering place, Otto’s Abode serves tourists and locals as a general store and gallery. Nolan Fedorow and his wife Hannah took over operations about eight years ago and have added their own twist to the general store concept, continually incorporating artistic expression.
“Otto’s Abode is a business that leaves an indelible impression on visitors to an otherwise overlooked neighborhood. Online reviews are visible evidence of their service, but their real impact is behind the scenes. Owners Nolan and Hannah Fedoroff deliver a guest experience that’s authentic and sincere, with all the practicality and quirkiness,” Amo said.
SLC Arts received the 2024 Best Destination Marketing Initiative award for its engaging and informative marketing campaign for the annual North Country Arts Festival. As a county-wide festival that drives tourism and economic activity, the SLC Arts campaign highlighted the many artists and events that make up the festival through its festival guide, website and social media efforts to help visitors envision exactly what to expect during their festival experience.
“The team at SLC Arts has done so much for our arts community with a vibrant and creative marketing campaign for their annual North Country Arts Festival. They have clearly embraced this bigger picture vision for our arts community, showcasing the industry in a way that celebrates and strengthens our regional identity as shaped by the arts,” Amo said.
Nominations for these annual awards open each year before the start of the summer tourist season. For more information on sharing and promoting tourism in St. Lawrence County, visit VisitSTLC.com. To contribute to the bigger picture vision by listing your tourism business online and partnering with the Chamber in attracting visitors, contact Tif Amo at tif@slcchamber.org or 315-386-4000.
