Annual Industry Award Nominations

This award will be presented to a business or organization, including a chamber of commerce or destination marketing organization, for its outstanding leadership, professional excellence, and group contribution to the Alaska travel industry.

This award recognizes an emerging leader who demonstrates excellence, creativity, and initiative in his/her profession. Nominees must work in Alaska tourism year-round and be younger than 35 years old before the end of the calendar year in which he/she is nominated. Nominees must have worked in the tourism industry for at least five years (minimum three years full-time) and be a role model for others, personally and professionally.

It was Marguerite West’s intention to carry on the tradition and to honor her husband by creating this award which will be given to a new pioneer in the industry who has exhibited entrepreneurial creativity, innovation and courage in the introduction of a successful new product for the benefit and enjoyment of Alaska’s visitors.

This award will be presented to a person or an entity who has contributed to the development of cultural tourism in Alaska. The award honors those who have created meaningful visitor experiences that contribute to the sharing of Alaska’s Indigenous cultural heritage.

This award will be presented to a living individual for his or her outstanding leadership, professional excellence, and personal contribution to the Alaska travel industry.

While not a standing annual award, this recognition will be conferred upon an individual who has demonstrated lifelong support of and leadership in Alaska tourism, promoted industry standards of excellence, and contributed to the industry’s growth as a whole.

This award will be presented, in good humor, to an individual, a company, an agency, a community, or other identifiable unit for an error, a blooper, an oversight or other humorous circumstance that has emerged during the past year.

The special recognition award is granted periodically to an individual who has made substantial contributions to the tourism industry in Alaska. The recognition may be due to the individual’s personal efforts on behalf of the industry or through his or her efforts with tourism related businesses that have positively enhanced Alaska tourism and travel.

This award will be presented to an individual or business that has demonstrated exceptional efforts to support a local community, charity, or other organization outside the travel industry.

This award commemorates the passion and dedication that Stan Stephens lived by in his commitment to safeguard a place he loved dearly. Stan was a meticulous steward of Prince William Sound and after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, publicly declared that he would dedicate the rest of his life to making sure the area was protected. Recipients of this award, like Stan, will have worked nobly and passionately over time to protect a place or resource or pursue a just cause that greatly benefits all of us in travel and tourism. The award will only be presented during years when a qualified recipient has been nominated.

The award is conferred upon an individual for a lifetime of leadership, passion and commitment to Alaska’s travel and visitor industry. It is not awarded annually. The individuals receiving this award have been identified as contributing substantially to the development of the Alaska visitor industry.