Awards Luncheon Held During the Celebrate Tourism Summit in Wytheville
WYTHEVILLE, Va. (Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026) – Nearly 200 tourism professionals gathered on Tuesday at the seventh annual Celebrate Tourism Summit at the Wytheville Meeting Center, which was presented by Visit Wytheville, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and Friends of Southwest Virginia.
During the event, Friends of Southwest Virginia hosted the Southwest Virginia Tourism Awards Ceremony to honor the exceptional work within the region’s tourism industry.
Friends of Southwest Virginia proudly presented awards in various categories, recognizing the remarkable contributions to tourism marketing, visitor services, events, and leadership. These awards were open to tourism organizations, individuals in tourism and economic development, and tourism-related businesses within the 19 counties and four cities of the Southwest Virginia region.
“These awards recognize the people and organizations who help make Southwest Virginia a welcoming place to live and visit,” said Kim Davis, Executive Director of Friends of Southwest Virginia. “The partnerships across our region are what make this work possible, and we’re proud to celebrate the individuals and communities that continue to invest in tourism and work together to move Southwest Virginia forward.”
Southwest Virginia tourism professionals submitted over 70 nominations. Winners were selected by a panel of tourism industry professionals from across the Southeast United States, who carefully reviewed and judged each entry.
The 2026 Southwest Virginia Tourism Award winners were:
Excellence in Tourism Marketing
Best Tourism Business Related Website
The Crooked Road
Best Destination Marketing Organization Website
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or Less
Discover Rocky Mount Moonshine
Best Destination Marketing Organization Website
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or More
Visit Wytheville
Best Rack Card or Brochure
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or Less
Heart of Appalachia
Best Rack Card or Brochure
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or More
Patrick County Tourism
Best Magazine
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or Less
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
Best Magazine
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or More
Patrick County Tourism
Best Visitor Guide (Tie)
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or Less
Giles County Tourism
Grayson County Tourism
Best Visitor Guide
Tourism Marketing Budget of $50,000 or More
Pulaski County Tourism
Best Regional Visitor Guide
Heart of Appalachia
Best Print Ad
Marketing Budget of $50,000 or Less
Grayson County Tourism & Visit Galax
Best Print Ad
Marketing Budget of $50,000 or More
Patrick County Tourism
Best Long Form Video (Tie)
Floyd Tourism
Town of Wytheville Department of Museums & PBS Appalachia
Best Short Form Video
Marketing Budget of $50,000 or More
Explore Bristol
Best Destination Marketing Campaign
Marketing Budget of $50,000 or Less
The Crooked Road
Best Destination Marketing Campaign
Marketing Budget of $50,000 or More
Explore Bristol
Excellence in Tourism Partners
Outstanding Accommodations of the Year
Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards
Outstanding Attraction of the Year
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol
Nominated by Explore Bristol
Outstanding One Day Event of the Year
Chasing The Squirrel: The Story of Wally Thrasher at NRV Airport
Nominated by Pulaski County Tourism
Outstanding Festival of the Year
Less than 10,000 Attendees
Ag & Art Adventure
Nominated by Grayson County Tourism
Outstanding Festival of the Year
10,000 Attendees or More
Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention
Nominated by The Crooked Road
Outstanding New Tourism Business of the Year
The Reed Creek Blueway
Nominated by Wythe County Tourism
Excellence in Tourism Leadership
Outstanding Tourism Partner of the Year
Dr. Amanda Brewer-Lord
Nominated by Visit Wytheville
Outstanding Volunteer
Jon Combs
Nominated by Believe in Bristol
Shining Star – Tourism Executive of the Year
Shane Farmer
Rising Star Award (Tie)
John Scott
Shane Terry
The Crooked Road Showstopper Award
Eddie Bond
Tourism Leader of the Year
Leah Ross
About Friends of Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia includes 19 counties and four independent cities located near the southern and western border of Virginia. The Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Commission, established in 2008 by the Virginia General Assembly, takes the lead in developing a creative economy in Southwest Virginia. In 2011, the Commission became the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation, a self-sustaining community development organization with support from the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Through a supporting non-profit, the Friends of Southwest Virginia, businesses, and individuals help artists, crafts people, localities, nonprofits and entrepreneurs mobilize and succeed. To learn more visit https://friendsofswva.org/.
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