LITV Wins Telly Award for YouTube Series and Long Island Tea wins eTSY Award for Innovation in Podcasting

 

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK (Friday, June 17, 2022) — Discover Long Island (DLI), the region’s official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), was recognized with two prestigious content awards this past month – the eTourism Summit Excellence "eTSY" Award for Innovation in Podcasting as well as the organization’s first Telly Award - the world's largest video and television content honor – for the popular YouTube series Long Island TV. The recent recognitions add to the dozens of local, national and international awards earned by the DMO in recent years, solidifying the organization as industry leaders and a model for success for destination marketing and innovation.

 

“Receiving two national awards and once again being lauded as leaders in innovation for our digital content is an incredible honor and further establishes Discover Long Island as one of the best DMOs in the nation,” said Discover Long Island President & CEO, Kristen Reynolds. “The creative and dedicated team at Discover Long Island works tirelessly to generate quality and compelling content that showcases the depth and breadth of life on Long Island, and I could not be more proud of the national acclaim and recognition that their efforts and our destination is receiving as a result.”

 

Long Island TV Scores DLI its First Telly Award With more than 11,000 global entries submitted for this year’s Telly Awards and winners including some of the largest media and production houses in the country, it should be noted that DLI’s now award-winning Long Island TV YouTube series is hosted, created, written, produced, edited and distributed completely in-house.

 

Long Island TV, one of the first bi-weekly DMO YouTube series, was launched at the height of the pandemic as part of DLI’s revamped social media strategy aimed at connecting with audiences via platforms where content was consumed in record numbers-including YouTube where more than two billion hours of video was being watched per month in 2020. The series takes viewers on bi-weekly adventures throughout the region that are exciting for both visitors and locals to experience – providing consistent video storytelling content that highlights local businesses, attractions and cultural experiences. Since the launch of the series, the DiscoverLongIslandNY YouTube channel has increased subscribers by 644% and garnered an additional 1,050,100 views. With this new promotional channel, the organization also attracted dozens of new partners and secured sponsors for the series.

 

“Now, more than ever, it is necessary to celebrate video work that reflects the top tier of our industry, such as Discover Long Island,” said Telly Awards Executive Director Sabrina Dridje. “This year’s submissions reflect an industry that has returned to the important work of storytelling, one that has returned with a new perspective that values innovation, agility, equity, and tenacious creativity.”

 

Long Island Tea Wins First Ever "eTSY" Award for Innovation in Podcasting DLI’s original podcast, Long Island Tea, was announced an “eTSY” award winner at the annual eTourism Summit during U.S. Travel Association's industry leading international marketplace and travel trade show, IPW, which took place earlier this month. The weekly podcast, also produced completely in-house, features the personalities and perspectives of Long Island moms, DLI’s President & CEO, Kristen Reynolds, and COO, Sharon Wyman, who “spill the tea” on what it’s like to live, work, and play on Long Island from authentic first-person accounts – pioneering a unique format for DMO podcasts. Sponsored by Long Island Wine Country, the show features a “wine of the week” sampled by the two hosts who strategically and seamlessly showcase the many unique small businesses, events, and amenities the region has to offer providing fun, lighthearted “edutainment” while humanizing the organization.

 

Since its launch in November 2020, the podcast has achieved a global audience from over 28 countries that tune in and download the latest episode in hundreds week over week. To date, the podcast has received over 18.4K downloads and 27,600 video views. It even secured a dedicated following and loyal fan base named the “hotTEAs” which warranted their own line of merchandise. Additionally, DLI has not only secured premier sponsors for the series, but A-list celebrity guests including The Real Housewives of NYC star Sonja Morgan, “Murr” of Impractical Jokers, rock legend Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, and famed psychic medium Jeffrey Wands, among others. Long Island Tea is available for download wherever podcasts are offered and is also viewable on YouTube at DiscoverLongIslandNY.

 

“Congratulations to the Discover Long Island team on winning the 2022 eTSY Award for innovation in podcasting” said Will Seccombe, President of Connect Travel, the producer of the eTourism Summit. “Destination Marketing Organizations have started to use podcasting as a great vehicle to tell destination stories and the Long Island Tea podcast stood out for its unique and entertaining style and for the positive impact that it had on the community.”

 

Both award-winning channels were launched as part of Discover Long Island’s social media content strategy with the goal to become the top source of information for the region and the go-to influencer for Long Island inspiration. In addition to the podcast and YouTube series, the organization also posts content across 10 social media channels including TikTok with two separate channels “Discover Long Island” and “Long Island, NY” resulting in DLI being recognized with a US Travel Association award for Best Social Media Campaign at their 2021 annual conference in Los Angeles. To date, the TikTok accounts have a growing following of 105,000+ and have earned more than 1,200,000 likes combined.

 

ABOUT DISCOVER LONG ISLAND:

Discover Long Island is the region’s official destination marketing organization charged with furthering Long Island’s thriving visitor economy, which saw record-breaking highs in 2019 generating $6.3 billion in visitor spending. The organization ensures Long Island’s coveted quality of life, flourishing industries, and dynamic destination assets are promoted on a global level, furthering economic development, and benefiting residents and businesses throughout the region. To learn more, please call 631-951-3900 or visit www.DiscoverLongIsland.com