The ONE Travel Conference has issued a Call for Entries for the annual SASI-ONE Awards  (SASI = Shop America Salutes Innovation). The awards recognize shopping, dining and cultural tourism marketing excellence. Entering the SASI-ONE Awards is free and open to all engaged in tourism marketing. Download entry forms at ONETravelConference.com. Deadline for entries has been extended to Monday, December 16, 2013.

The winners will be announced on Thursday, January 30, 2014at the SASI-ONE Awards Breakfast at the ONE Travel Conference in at the Radisson Blu-Mall of America, Bloomington, MN by Brandace Bruning of CenterCal Properties, the SASI-ONE Awards Chairperson.  The SASI-ONE awards are sponsored by CenterCal Properties in partnership with Shop America Alliance and the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council.

SASI-ONE Awards recognize prominent leaders in the tourism industry for their vision and commitment to developing shopping and cultural tourism.  Along with the SASI-ONE Awards for shopping and cultural tourism marketing excellence, SASI-ONE Special Award Recipients will be honored in the categories of Shopping Tourism Retailer of the Year, TravMedia Tourism Journalist of the Year, Cultural & Heritage Tourism Destination of the Year and SASI-ONE Chairman’s Award.  The achievements of SASI-ONE Winners and special awards honorees will be announced and showcased in a video presentation at the Awards Breakfast.                                                                                               

SASI-ONE judges include industry experts and the judging will be overseen by the Bloomington Minnesota Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

SASI-ONE Award Entry Criteria:

1. Promotes Shopping, Dining and/or Cultural & Heritage experiences as tourism activities.

2. Demonstrates creativity and innovation appealing to target audience.

3. Delivers return on investment in terms of sales impact or increased awareness.

4. Demonstrates effective use of resources and partnerships where applicable.

Entry Categories:

A.  Retail or Restaurant- Single store, restaurant or chain marketing program for tourism market

B.  Single Shopping Center Location- Individual shopping center of any size, marketing program for tourism market

C.  Multi-Center Shopping Center Chain- Group of shopping centers of any size executing a multi-center marketing program for the tourism market

D.  Destination Management Organization- CVB, regional tourism authority or state tourism office producing a Shopping, Dining and/or Cultural or Heritage tourism program

E.  Cultural or Heritage Organization tourism marketing program

F.  Travel Partners- Tour operators, airline, travel agency, hotel, rental car agency, credit card or other company in the travel industryproducing a Shopping, Dining and/or Cultural or Heritage tourism marketing program

For ONE Travel Conference registration, program details and SASI-ONE entry forms, please visit www.ONEtravelconference.com

ONE Travel Conference for Shopping, Dining and Cultural & Heritage Tourism is produced annually by Shop America Alliance and the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council.  The Conference brings together leaders in the travel industry to focus on “Mega-Opportunities in Global Touris..”  The 2014 ONE Travel Conference will be held at the Radisson Blu-Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, January 28-30, 2014. For more information visit ONETravelConference.com or call 843.341.6392.

Shop America Alliance is the travel trade organization representing hundreds of the premier shopping tourism destinations, retailers, shopping centers, museum stores and outlets in North America. Founded in 1998, Shop America Alliance co-produces the annual ONE Travel Conference and SASI-ONE Awards and The Cultural Traveler guidebook, publishes Shop America Magazine and markets more than 200 shopping tours in 40 cities.  For more information, visit shopamericatours.com or call

 707.224.3795.

US Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council (USCHT) is a travel trade association with a mission to market U.S. cultural and heritage tourism experiences both nationally and internationally. USCHT represents leading U.S. tourism destinations, attractions and travel partners engaged in marketing U.S. cultural and heritage to travelers throughout the United States and around the world, co-produces the annual ONE Travel Conference and SASI-ONE Awards and The Cultural Traveler guidebook and sponsors market research on the Cultural and Heritage Traveler. For more information, visit  TheCulturalTraveler.com  

or call 843.341.6392.

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