HSMAI TO HONOR ZAPWATER COMMUNICATIONS WITH GOLD AND BRONZE ADRIAN AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING TRAVEL MARKETING
Award winners to be celebrated in New York on February 18
CHICAGO (November 26, 2024) – Zapwater Communications will be honored for travel marketing excellence by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) at the annual Adrian Awards Celebration at the New York Marriott Marquis, February 18, 2025.
The Adrian Awards, now in their 68th year, are the largest and most prestigious competition in global travel marketing. For 2024, Adrian Awards are being presented in advertising, digital, PR/communications, and integrated campaign categories. These include awards for digital creators, reputation management, affiliate marketing and broadcast integration.
Zapwater will receive two Adrian Awards for its winning entries. A gold award will be presented on behalf of Grindelwald Tourism and Jungfrau Railways in the Feature Placement Online or Print Consumer Media category, and a bronze award will be presented on behalf of Hotel Volga in the PR/Communications – New Opening/Launch category.
Grindelwald Tourism and Jungfrau Railways’s Gold Award: Aligning with client goals of Grindelwald Tourism and Jungfrau Railways, Zapwater aimed to introduce the niche sport of Swiss sledging to American travelers, focusing on its cultural distinction and the world’s longest sledding run. The goal was to highlight sledging as a new winter draw for tourism, emphasize cultural differences from American sledding, and showcase the sustainable Eiger Express rail investment by Jungfrau Railways. The campaign secured a multi-page print and online feature in The New York Times, where Elaine Glusac’s in-depth article, timed for the 2024 ski season, spotlighted the sledging tradition and the region’s tourism infrastructure. This high-impact placement generated an estimated $4.97 million in advertising equivalency value and achieved a remarkable 20,688% return on investment.
Hotel Volga’s Bronze Award: Retained in early 2024, Zapwater introduced Hotel Volga, a new boutique hotel in Mexico City’s Cuauhtémoc neighborhood, to American travelers with a focus on its unique architectural design. The hotel had previously opened in 2023 without substantive buzz or media coverage. Zapwater’s campaign aimed to establish Volga as a standout in a competitive market and position Cuauhtémoc as a fresh travel destination. By highly targeted media outreach and arranging cost-effective site visits, the campaign secured top-tier media coverage in Travel + Leisure’s It List, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Conde Nast Traveler, The Boston Globe, Tatler, and more for an estimated advertising equivalency value of $1.98 million and a massive 3,043% return on investment.
“The Adrian Awards honors the creativity and vision that drives our industry forward, shining a spotlight on the marketing and communication leaders whose outstanding work truly inspires people to embrace travel and create unforgettable memories in the journey,” said Brian Hicks, president and CEO of HSMAI.
The Adrian Awards Celebration is a must-attend industry event that annually attracts leading hospitality, travel, and tourism marketing executives and their agencies. Winning entries will be viewable in the winners’ gallery on the Adrian Awards website following the February 18 Celebration. Visit adrianawards.hsmai.org for more information on the event and competition.
The Adrian Awards are the 17th and 18th major public relations industry awards won or shortlisted by Zapwater in 2024.
###