Saratoga Springs, N.Y. — Discover Saratoga is proud to announce it has been recognized with three 2026 New York State Tourism Excellence Awards from the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA). The awards recognize outstanding achievements in tourism marketing and destination stewardship across New York State and will be presented during a special ceremony on September 17 in Corning, New York.
Discover Saratoga received awards in the following categories:
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Public Relations Campaign — Discover Saratoga Public Relations Program (in partnership with Travel Alliance Partnership)
Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Projects & Programs: Trails & Itineraries — Discover Saratoga’s “Trip Ideas” (in partnership with LIFT Marketing)
Excellence in Transformational Tourism Stewardship: Sustainable Stewardship — Discover Saratoga’s Chowderfest (in partnership with Sustainable Saratoga)
“We are incredibly honored to be recognized by the New York State Tourism Industry Association with three Tourism Excellence Awards,” said Darryl Leggieri, President of Discover Saratoga. “These awards reflect the creativity, dedication, and collaboration of our team and partners, who work every day to showcase Saratoga County as a premier destination. We’re grateful to NYSTIA for this recognition and remain committed to creating innovative marketing initiatives and memorable visitor experiences that strengthen our local tourism economy.”
“It seems that each year the standards of excellence recognized by the NYS Tourism Excellence Awards & Summit are both elevated and evolved,” observed Bob Provost, President of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. “They reflect the increasing sophistication of the visitor industry and the enlightened perspective of the intricate ecosystem of the visitor economy. The addition of Tourism Excellence Workshops in 2025 further enhanced the attendee experience, enabling them to learn from and appreciate the significance and relevance of the work being recognized.”
Open to all tourism professionals and organizations throughout the state, the New York State Tourism Excellence Awards are determined through a competitive evaluation process led by a panel of impartial industry experts. Entries spanned the entirety of New York State, providing the judges with a challenging task of evaluating a diverse slate of highly qualified submissions across this expanded range of recognition.
The annual New York State Tourism Excellence Awards recognize exceptional achievements by destination marketing organizations, attractions, and tourism professionals from across the state. Award recipients are selected through a competitive evaluation process conducted by a panel of industry experts.
For more information about NYSTIA and the 2026 Tourism Excellence Awards, please visit www.nystia.org.
###
About Discover Saratoga
Discover Saratoga, also known as the Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau, serves as the official Tourism Promotion Agency for Saratoga County and is a key economic development engine for the region. Its mission is to contribute a positive impact on the local economy by promoting and marketing Saratoga County as a world-class destination for leisure travel, meetings, and events. For more information about Discover Saratoga, please visit www.DiscoverSaratoga.org.
About the New York State Tourism Industry Association
The New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) is a member-driven, 501(c)6 nonprofit organization at the vanguard of transformational tourism marketing, stewardship and long-term strategic planning. We assist our members in advancing responsible economic growth, creating jobs, revitalizing communities, supporting small business success, and increasing state and local tax revenues in order to improve the standard of living, quality of life and pride of place for New York State communities and residents. We achieve these goals by facilitating the success of our members in realizing the economic potential of New York State’s tourism industry and act as a catalyst for collaborative initiatives, exceptional marketing programs, industry research and legislative awareness for the private sector of New York State’s tourism industry.