LIGONIER, Pa. – GO Laurel Highlands, the destination marketing organization for Pennsylvania's Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties, has been recognized for its innovative 2025 winter campaign.

The Public Relations Society of America's Pittsburgh Chapter selected GO Laurel Highlands for a Renaissance Award in the Influencer Relations Category. Eric Knopsnyder, director of public relations and community development, and Laura Argenbright, senior director of creative strategy, accepted the award at the Renaissance Awards on Jan. 29 at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square.

The awards honor the region's top public relations, marketing, and communications campaigns, tactics, and practitioners for outstanding creativity and impact. GO Laurel Highlands was the only destination marketing organization recognized among leading public relations firms from across western Pennsylvania.

The organization's Winter Hangout brought nine content creators from across the country to the Laurel Highlands for a three-day experience featuring more than two dozen stops throughout the three counties. The itinerary highlighted outdoor recreation, dining, craft beverages, and distinctive lodging.

Participants stayed at Log Cabin Lodge and Suites in Donegal, enjoyed cross-country skiing and hiked to scenic locations including Jones Mill Run Dam in Laurel Hill State Park and Cucumber Falls in Ohiopyle State Park. They bowled in Ligonier, dined in Somerset and experienced hands-on animal encounters at Living Treasures Wild Animal Park in Donegal – capturing and sharing the journey with their audiences along the way.

The Winter Hangout generated more than 300 digital assets, including 17 collaborative posts with GO Laurel Highlands. The campaign produced 1.5 million views, 1.1 million impressions, and 73,000 engagements, reaching a combined audience of nearly 850,000 followers.

“This content creator initiative hit the mark in many ways, but what stands out most is how GO Laurel Highlands showcased a wide range of partner properties and winter experiences well beyond traditional snow sports,” Argenbright said. “The campaign truly reflects the role of a destination marketing organization to spotlight the diverse regional opportunities that make a visitor's experience memorable and unique. We are honored that the Pittsburgh Chapter of PRSA recognized our efforts with a Renaissance Award.”

Content creators who participated in the Winter Hangout included:

• Adventures Abound
• Alex Eats Too Much
• Britt Around Town
• Got Lost on Purpose
• Happily Ever Exploring
• Kim Hiked It
• Mindy on the Move
• Pretty Lil Traveler
• Tory Talks Trails

About Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands
The Laurel Highlands is a 3,000-square-mile, mountainous region in southwestern Pennsylvania and a four-season playground for outdoor recreation. Just an hour east of Pittsburgh, the region offers top-tier skiing, hiking, biking and golf, alongside historic sites, family attractions and world-class resorts.

Highlights include four Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieces – Fallingwater®, Kentuck Knob, Mäntylä, and Duncan House – plus Nemacolin, Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Flight 93 National Memorial, Idlewild and SoakZone and whitewater rafting in Ohiopyle State Park.

Tourism is a key economic driver, with visitors spending more than $2 billion annually and supporting more than 15,000 jobs across the region. Within 200 miles of Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Washington, D.C., the Laurel Highlands is easily reached via Pennsylvania Turnpike exits 67, 75, 91 and 110, Amtrak, Arnold Palmer Regional Airport or Pittsburgh International Airport.

Visitors to the Laurel Highlands can find information online at GoLaurelHighlands.com, facebook.com/laurelhighlandsPA and https://www.instagram.com/go_laurelhighlands or by calling 724-238-5661.