Visit Buffalo Niagara receives Garden Tourism Initiative Excellence Award

Visit Buffalo Niagara won the regional level Tourism Excellence Award for Tourism Marketing for its Buffalo Niagara Garden Tourism Initiative at the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) awards held in Watkins Glen this week. VBN President and CEO Patrick Kaler, Director of Creative Services Matt Steinberg and National Sales Director Dionne Williamson were on hand to accept the award.

The garden tourism initiative, now in its seventh year, is a four-week celebration of gardens, gardening, and related horticultural experiences. During the 2017 festival, visitors from 30+ states, Canada and numerous foreign locales visited nearly 1,000 private and public gardens, participated in 21 garden walks (including the largest in the U.S., Garden Walk Buffalo), attended gardening events and took part in bus tours that highlighted the blooming of Buffalo.

“Visit Buffalo Niagara gives 110 percent every day to promote the exciting resurgence and transformation of the Buffalo Niagara region,” Visit Buffalo Niagara President and CEO Patrick Kaler said. “We’re thrilled that this passion and enthusiasm has translated into industry recognition at the state and national levels in 2017.”

Gardens Buffalo Niagara partners with Visit Buffalo Niagara to sell and market the region's horticultural assets and attractions to visitors outside of the Buffalo Niagara region as a convention, tourism and leisure destination for the economic benefit of the community.

Photo: (left to right) Visit Buffalo Niagara Director of Creative Services Matt Steinberg, National Sales Director Dionne Williamson and President Patrick Kaler.