EMBARGO: September 24, 2009, 12 p.m. CST
CONTACT: Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 800.648.5381
EMAIL: info@northalabama.org

Huntsville/Madison County CVB Named
Organization of The Year

CVB President and CEO Judy Ryals accepting the organization of the year award from Dana Lee Jennings, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association President and CEO

Mooresville, Ala. - The Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA) has honored the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau (HMCCVB) with the 2009 Organization of the Year award. The award is among 11 that comprise the PEAK Awards which will be presented on Thursday, September 24 during the AMLA Annual Meeting at Quail Creek Golf Resort in Hartselle, Ala.

As the highest achievement in North Alabama tourism, the PEAK Awards honor individuals and organizations that have had a major impact on tourism in North Alabama. The Organization of the Year award is presented to the AMLA member organization that has contributed significantly to the betterment and development of tourism in North Alabama in the past year.

Teamwork was the winning formula for the HMCCVB in 2009. Earlier this year, the HMCCVB and AMLA partnered together to coordinate the “Tourism Rolls to Montgomery” rally to stress the importance of tourism to Alabama’s economy to the state legislators. Motorcoaches carrying tourism professionals from throughout central and north Alabama convened in Montgomery to make a visual impact of the industry’s strength. The HMCCVB also took an active role and established a new committee, entitled “Downtown Core Committee, comprised of community leaders from the downtown organizations and attractions with the intent to work together to help fund projects, share resources and formulate new concepts to improve the downtown area. The work of this new committee has led to a renewed commitment to downtown renovation and revitalization. The HMCCVB also recently launched a new website, www.huntsville.org. The new site is visually appealing, user friendly, and can be translated into eight different languages at the touch of a button.

“The entire staff of the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau is dedicated to promoting our community as a visitor destination and meeting sitea to people from across the country. We are thrilled that our team was selected to receive the Organization of the Year Award for 2009. We will continue to provide outstanding service for conventions, meetings, trade shows and sporting events as well as leisure travelers in our area,” according to Huntsville/Madison County CVB, President & CEO Judy Ryals.

“The PEAK Awards recognize those who have had a direct impact in the tourism industry across North Alabama,” said Dana Lee Jennings, president/CEO of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. “The North Alabama region has positioned itself as a tourist destination and sporting mecca and this recognition would not be possible without the dedication of our industry professionals. Tourism contributed over $2.1 billion to North Alabama’s economy in 2008 and supported over 30,000 jobs in the 16 northernmost counties of Alabama.”