UCDD Tourism Recovery Coordinator Recognized For UC Series

UCDD Tourism Recovery Coordinator Hannah Carroll headed to Cleveland next month to accept an award for the region’s approach to coming back from COVID.

Carroll helped launch the “Wish You Were Here” program, in collaboration with WCTE. That project, one of 108 across the nation, set to be honored with the National Association of Development Organization Impact Award.

“It really shows a creative approach after the pandemic and how to address businesses and communities that were struggling in a post-pandemic economy,” Carroll said. “The development district really had to approach it a creative way and I think that the Impact Award shows it’s a success.”

Carroll said the award is for organization members based on different approaches to stimulate their regional economic development and quality of life. Carroll said that the award gives her team more encouragement to pursue her award-winning program Wish You Were Here and other like endeavors.

“You’re learning every day with it,” Carroll said. “I was new to television and new to the production side of things, so you’re always figuring out a better way to do things, a more efficient, economical way to do everything and what works best for the team too.”

Carroll said she was amazed when she heard she was selected for the award. She said the project, airing both on television and social media, shows the Upper Cumberland as a captivating region. Carroll said the award also shows how out-of-the-box thinking had paid off for the Upper Cumberland following the 2020 hardship.

“We hope that this is an opportunity to just continue the adventure with ‘Wish You Were Here,’” Carroll said. “As we have more and more businesses that open and people coming here to work, move, and live.”

Carroll will accept the Aliceann Wohlbruck NADO Impact Award November 10 in Cleveland.