MOUNT VERNON – Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau received recognition for achievement in marketing and advertising excellence at the Ohio Travel Association’s RUBY Awards presentation.
OTA held the presentation on Oct. 8 at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington.
Knox County CVB was a finalist in the Newsletter category and brought home two RUBY Awards for Best Travel Guide & Planner and Best New Experience (Knox County Coffee Trail).
The Knox County CVB 2026-2027 Adventure Guide beat out competitive markets like Akron, Mansfield and Dayton in the travel guide category.
“We are honored to be recognized with some fantastic CVBs across the state,” said Olivia Toth, Knox County CVB executive director. “Our 2026-2027 Adventure Guide is a major marketing tool to elevate community pride and inspire our visitors to find their next unexpected adventures here.
“With the removal of ads this year, our goal was focused on giving the reader the most dynamic and digestible information. A blend of lists, narrative and authentic tips from locals helped us maintain the mission to make this a true travel planning tool.
“I also want to thank our locals who make this guide so special, from interviews to feature photography, it takes a team to bring this guide to life. Our editorial photographer, Nicole Leone Miller, has been working with us for over six years, and we’re grateful for our shared creative vision that brings that authentic Knox County feeling to the pages of every guide.”
‘The best of the best’
The Ohio Travel Association’s RUBY Awards recognize excellence in Ohio’s hospitality and tourism industry for efforts in advertising, marketing and public relations.
In this year’s competition, the Recognizing Uncommon Brilliance Yearly (RUBY) Awards had a record-breaking 276 entries in 17 categories. The awards, sponsored by Ohio Magazine, were presented during the Ohio Conference on Travel, the state’s tourism conference for all sectors of the tourism industry.
Out-of-state and regional marketing professionals representing academia, consulting firms and ad agencies judged each entry on the basis of overall concept, results and creativity.
“Winners truly represent the best of the best in marketing strategy and design in Ohio’s travel industry ,” said Melinda Huntley, Ohio Travel Association executive director.
The Ohio Travel Association is a nonprofit trade association representing travel and tourism-related businesses throughout the state. For more information on OTA, visit www.ohiotravel.org.