Canandaigua, NY - The Finger Lakes Visitors Connection will honor the greats in the tourism industry at the 2011 Tourism Legacy Awards. The Legacy Awards ceremony honors those who have established an important legacy for themselves and for the betterment of tourism in Ontario County. The event will be June 14, 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor, NY

The Legacy Awards have been presented by the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection approximately every 2 years since 1993 and more than 90 people have been honored. Winners receive a hand-crafted Finger Lakes artists’ work.

2011 Legacy Award winners are:
Signature Legacy Award Geoff Astles, Ontario County Administrator
Signature Legacy Award Danny Wegman, Wegmans Canandaigua
Lifetime Achievement Award Fred and Doreen Wayne, The Holloway House
Exceptional People Award Judith Wellman, 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse
Partnership Award Jeanne Fagan, Finger Lakes Community College
Hospitality Excellence Award Bill Schickel, Geneva On The Lake
Product Development Award Kevin Reader, Belhurst
Marketing Excellence Award David Hutchings, Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park
Rookie of the Year Award Rich Reiben, Smith Center for the Arts
Frontliner Award Sue Albano, New York Wine & Culinary Center

Tourism is big business in Ontario County and creates economic opportunities for many people. 4,122 people are employed in the tourism industry with an annual labor income of $86,722,000. Tourism also provides a significant tax base in the form of $10,656,198 in local taxes and $10,705,243 in state taxes.

"There is no doubt that tourism plays a big role in the local economy," said AJ Shear, Communications Manager for the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection. "This event is a great opportunity to show appreciation for the hard-working professionals that are a part of the Ontario County tourism industry. The Ontario County tourism product is very strong, and it's important to recognize those that make it that way."

Prior to the awards, from 10 a.m. to noon, there will be a Marketing Update from the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection – with a sneak peak of the new FLVC web site and interactive map, a display of PR wins from 2010 and plans for 2011, and the debut of the new FLVC brochure.

Media is encouraged to attend any portion of the Legacy Awards or Marketing Update. For more information, call AJ Shear at the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, 585-394-3915.

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection is the official tourism promotion agency for Ontario County, located at 25 Gorham Street in Canandaigua, NY. Its mission is to create visitorship and economic vitality for Ontario County by marketing its tourism assets and positioning the area as a premier leisure and meetings destination.   

Contact: AJ Shear, Communications Manager Finger Lakes Visitors Connection 585-394-3915