CANANDAIGUA, NY – Finger Lakes Visitors Connection received acclaim with one PRism award and one Award of Excellence from the Rochester chapter of Public Relations Society of America at the PRism awards dinner at Artisan Works in Rochester on June 21. The Visitors Connection was honored in the non-profit category for the organization’s blog, Insiders Diaries, and for the Visitors Connection web site, VisitFingerLakes.com.
“The Rochester PRism awards honor the best in public relations and marketing in the Greater Rochester area,” said Valerie Knoblauch, President of Finger Lakes Visitors Connection. “VisitFingerLakes.com and our blog, Insiders Diaries, make direct connections with the public and have become trusted sources for potential travelers. We'd love to expand the Insiders and invite guests to blog as well, lending even more authenticity to the tourism recommendations for Ontario County and the Finger Lakes Region.”
Insiders Diaries is a blog concept designed in 2011 to position the people that live, work and have a passion for all things Finger Lakes as the “go-to travel experts” for visitation to Ontario County. Insiders Diaries is a way for Finger Lakes natives and fans to share their personal Finger Lakes experiences and speak directly to the traveler.
In 2011, the Visitors Connection also embarked on a full redesign of VisitFingerLakes.com. The new site is navigable and functional while innovative, positioning the Visitors Connection as an important, reliable resource for visitors to the Finger Lakes Region. The site offers a three-in-one bang for the customer – a personal and authentic touch (through Insiders Diaries and candid photo galleries); a fact-filled, practical way to plan (through trip planner, Google maps, and filtering options); and an exciting “call to action” with a contemporary feel (through photography, videos, an interactive map, and events).
Since the development of the blog and redesign of VisitFingerLakes.com, both elements have seen an increase in activity. Average page views per visit for VisitFingerlakes.com have increased 55 percent and blog readership has increased 44 percent over the previous blog incarnation.
Both projects were designed in cooperation with Dumbwaiter Design and Harris Studios.
To see the blog or web site, go to www.VisitFingerLakes.com
Finger Lakes Visitors Connection is the official tourism promotion agency for Ontario County and is located at 25 Gorham Street in Canandaigua. For more information, please visit www.visitfingerlakes.com or call the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection at 585-394-3915 or e-mail info@visitfingerlakes.com.
AJ Shear, Communications Manager 585-394-3915