During the Midwest Travel Network Conference, members voted on several prestigious annual awards. For the first time, Shipshewana was awarded Destination of the Year.
For 2024 the winners are:
Destination of the year: Visit Shipshewana
FAM Trip of the Year: Visit Fairfield
Rising Star of the Year: Des Moines Parent’s Erin Huiatt
Destination Partner of the Year: Visit Fort Dodge
Collaboration of the Year: Brandy Gleason of Gleason Family Adventures
Best Social Media Campaign (Destination): Clear Lake, Iowa
Best Social Media Campaign (Blogger): Melody Pittman of the blog Wherever I May Roam
Blogger of the Year: Nicole Marie Kringstad of The Midwest Millennial
Destination of the Year is chosen based on the destination everyone seems to talk about on MTN, and last year Shipshewana was at the top of that list.
Since the goal of Visit Shipshewana, or Shipshewana/LaGrange County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (CVB), is to promote the area as a travel destination, the award is an incredible step forward and a wonderful validation of all the hard work of the CVB director, employees and partners, the organization said in a statement.
“Visit Shipshewana welcomed members to our network throughout the year and quickly appeared on the radar of hundreds of people on MTN,” said Sara Broers, co-owner of Midwest Travel Network. “The willingness and extra effort that Sonya Nash and her team made to make all these visits happen speaks volumes of Visit Shipshewana’s dedication to tourism. Therefore, they won the Midwest Travel Network’s 2024 Destination of the Year award.”
The success of the MTN and CVB Annual Conference is also due to the Blue Gate Garden Inn, the Farmstead Inn & Conference Center, the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center, the Shipshewana Flea Market, everyone at the Davis Mercantile, Cook’s Bison Ranch, the small business owners, tour guides, restaurateurs, Amish homemakers and artisans and many more, the release said. It is also important to mention the small but dedicated team at the Visit Shipshewana/LaGrange County CVB who worked countless hours for nearly a year to ensure the MTN Annual Conference was a success.
“Being selected as the 2024 Destination of the Year is truly an honor and a real confirmation that Shipshewana and LaGrange County are special places to live AND visit,” said CVB Executive Director Sonya Nash. “This could not have been achieved without the availability of incredible local locations and experiences, as well as the input and collaboration of our partners.
“This proves that with teamwork and Hoosier Hospitality, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. Shipshewana may be a small town, but it can do big things, and do them well.”
