California, MD — A new award to be named after Kim Cullins has been created. The Kim Cullins Tourism and Hospitality Award was announced May 20 at a meeting of the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Council (THAC). The award will be presented at the chamber’s annual meeting beginning next year.
Cullins (at left), who was an active member of THAC, died February 20. She had been marketing and development specialist for St. Clement’s Island Museum in Coltons Point for 14 years.
The new award was announced at the meeting by Past THAC Chairperson Beverly Brown, who noted how shocked everyone was at Cullins’ death at the age of 55. She was an energetic supporter and player in the tourism development effort. Among her many accomplishments was the creation of the highly-successful annual jazz concert at the museum.
At the meeting St. Mary’s County Tourism Manager Carolyn Laray presented an optimistic report on tourism activity for the first nine months of the fiscal year that ends in July. She said sales and use tax revenue from restaurants was up 8.4 percent and 14.8 percent for lodging.
Laray said the county is getting ready to embark on development of a Tourism and Hospitality Master Plan. She said tourism is a key component on the county’s effort to diversify the economy and the plan will be a significant part of providing a framework for the future of the industry.
The meeting was held at the soon-to-open Avenue 54 at the Villages at Wildewood.
Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com