Tourism Dinner Inspires Guests to Think About The Big Picture for STLC Tourism

Tourism Dinner Inspires Guests to Think About The Big Picture for STLC Tourism

Otto’s Abode and SLC Arts Honored with Annual Awards

The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce hosted a lively celebration of tourism excellence at the Best Western University Inn in Canton on Wednesday, June 12th. The event, themed "S.E.E. the Big Picture," showcased the pivotal role of tourism in the county with consideration to three major factors: Sustainability, Education, and Engagement. 

The evening commenced with a happy hour featuring live music and networking amongst more than 50 industry partners hailing from all corners of the county, with attendees including St. Lawrence County Legislator John Gennett, and Assemblyman Scott Gray.

As networking wrapped up, a buffet dinner catered by Best Western was followed by a presentation from Director of Tourism, Tif Amo, and Tourism & Events Manager, Kathryn Puleo. The “Big Picture” presentation noted critical elements of sustainable tourism and its benefits to the local economy when engaged by the community at large. 

“One of the greatest advantages of being a Chamber of Commerce and a tourism promotion agent all rolled into one is that we have a very clear vision of the relationship between tourism and economic development, and we are uniquely positioned to bring that bigger picture into focus for residents, businesses, and visitors alike,” Amo said. “It is our mission in 2024 and beyond to bring clarity to the big picture that we envision for St. Lawrence County, a vision we aim to realize through Sustainability, Education, and Engagement,” Amo said.

The keynote speaker for the evening was sport tourism industry expert Grant MacDonald of Cimarron Global Solutions, who shared initial discoveries, opportunities, and strategies from the sport tourism project enlisted by the STLC Chamber and funded by a grant from the New York State Economic Development Agency. MacDonald, who traveled from Halifax, Nova Scotia, highlighted the strategic importance of enhancing local businesses, events, and assets to attract visitors with sport tourism initiatives. His presentation came as part of a 3-day visit to the County with an itinerary, led by Amo and former Director of Tourism Brooke Rouse, featuring meetings and on-site visits throughout St. Lawrence County, including a tour of the multi-use trail system in Brasher, tours of SUNY Canton, SUNY Potsdam, Clarkson University, and St. Lawrence University athletic facilities, as well as on-site visits to facilities and locations in Ogdensburg, Waddington, and Massena.

The highlight of the evening was the annual award recognition. The 2024 'Best to the Guest' Tourism Excellence Award was presented to Otto's Abode, of Wanakena, for outstanding customer service and unique offerings. Otto’s Abode serves visitors and locals alike as a general store and gallery, in addition to being a grocery and community gathering place. Nolan Fedorow and his wife Hannah took over the operation about 8 years ago and continue to put their spin on the general store concept, with an ongoing feature of artistic expression. 

“Otto’s Abode is a business that leaves a lasting impression on visitors to an area that might otherwise be overlooked. The online reviews are a visible testament to their service, but their true impact is really behind the scenes. Owners Nolan and Hannah Fedorow deliver a guest experience that is authentic and genuine and that offers a practicality and whimsy all rolled into one,” Amo noted.

SLC Arts received the 2024 Best Destination Marketing Initiative Award for executing an engaging and informative marketing campaign for the annual North Country Arts Festival. As a county-wide celebration that encourages tourism and economic activity, the SLC Arts campaign highlighted the many artists and events comprising the festival in a way that helped visitors imagine exactly what they might expect during their experience by way of their festival guide and their website and social media efforts.

“The team at SLC Arts has done a great service to our arts community with their execution of such a vibrant and creative marketing campaign for the annual North Country Arts Festival. They have clearly embraced this big–picture vision for our arts community and have showcased the industry in a way that both celebrates and solidifies our regional identity as framed by the arts,” Amo said.

Nominations for these annual awards open every year prior to the kick-off of the summer tourism season. For more information on sharing or promoting tourism in St. Lawrence County, visit VisitSTLC.com. Contact Tif Amo at tif@slcchamber.org or at 315-386-4000 to make your contribution to the big-picture vision by listing your tourism business online and partnering with the Chamber on visitor attraction.