We are honored and humbled to share the news that our efforts to reimagine the role of tourism and a new regenerative direction as Embrace Whidbey and Camano Islands is being recognized by our peers.
There are thousands of very creative people working for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), and they come up with some amazing ideas, so to be singled out is truly special.
First, Destination Marketing Association of the West (DMA West) recognized our efforts as one of four “Best Ideas” in the past year.
Second, the State of Washington Tourism awarded Embrace Whidbey and Camano Islands with their 2023 Destination Stewardship Award.
As we share this news with immense gratitude, we also know that this is both a challenge to move forward with our efforts and a reminder that what we’re doing is ground-breaking.
We wouldn’t have made it to this point without the wisdom of the Transformational Travel Council, whose team guided us through the intense process of becoming an officially accredited Regenerative Place. We are the first destination in the state and only the second in the nation to commit to this transformational program (the other so far is Oregon’s Willamette Valley).
So, while we take a moment to note these awards, we are acutely aware that the real work lies ahead. Projects continue to be developed by members of the community, each falling under one of our four pillars: Healthy Nature, Access, Bridge-Building, and Transformational Mindset. We look forward to continuing our journey along the road less travelled.
In fact, we Embrace it.
Sherrye Wyatt and the Embrace Whidbey & Camano Islands team