CA Highway 1 Discovery Route Awarded Prestigious Visit California Public Relations Poppy Award for its "Commitment to Community"

04/03/2016 06:35

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif., March 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The prestigious Visit California Poppy Awards, a biennial contest that honors the best and brightest of California tourism promotion, has awarded the CA Highway 1 Discovery Route (H1DR) in San Luis Obispo County for its Commitment to Community. A panel of industry marketing experts in 10 categories grants the awards. Several unique programs demonstrate why the CA H1DR was awarded for its Commitment to Community.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/340377

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/340376

The prestigious Visit California Poppy Award category 'Contribution to Community' awarded to the Stewardship Travel program, was judged by:

creativity in strategy and execution,
achieving program objectives,
affecting positive change through sustainable practices, and
infrastructure improvements or other contributions to the community.

Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the H1DR is made up of ten diverse artisan towns and seaside villages starting just south of Big Sur from Ragged Point & San Simeon, Cambria, Cayucos, and Los Osos/Baywood Park, to Avila Beach & Valley, Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande Valley, Oceano and Nipomo, just south of San Luis Obispo.

CA Highway 1 Discovery Route Stewardship Travel
The CA H1DR's Stewardship Travel Program (STP) was developed to meet the challenges of integrating sustainability, environmental education and natural resource conservation with the impact of promoting increased tourism throughout its 10 destinations in unincorporated SLO County. Diane Strachan, the H1DR Stewardship Travel Program Consultant and Director, co-designed and coordinated the 70 preservation-and conservation-oriented STP experiences, education, and contribution opportunities so that visitors can connect with the land, wildlife, history, people and culture of the places they visit. As a result, the destination leaders, residents, and businesses are learning to view tourism opportunities differently ~ where locals and tourists connect within the communities they love, and appreciate the local beauty and its attractions as resources to not only enjoy, but to protect and preserve.

The STP launched in August 2013 as part of the H1DR destination brand and is managed by the unincorporated San Luis Obispo County Tourism Business Improvement District (CBID). Each Stewardship Travel activity, including the annual Coastal Discovery and Stewardship Celebration, promoted through events, public relations, social media and digital advertising executed by the H1DR core marketing team of Mental Marketing and TJA Advertising. Every attraction is connected to a non-profit contribution opportunity and there are 10 regional Stewardship Travel Ambassadors who facilitate stakeholder collaboration, cross-education, and promotion for their unincorporated region.

The Whale Trail Project
The H1DR is also a participant in The Whale Trail Project, a series of websites designed to share information with the public on where they may view orcas, other cetaceans and marine mammals from shore. The project's mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment.

Go to www.Highway1DiscoveryRoute.com for more information.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Susan Hartzler
Public Relations Executive
818-585-8641
Email
www.mentalmarketing.com