Alabama Tourism, Agency Partners Earn Global Recognition for Year of Trails Campaign
2026-02-03
February 3, 2026
Alabama Tourism, Agency Partners Earn Global Recognition for Year of Trails Campaign
Alabama Tourism, Luckie & Co. and Peritus PR win international media accolades for campaign promoting state’s outdoor assets
(Montgomery, Ala.) – The Alabama Tourism Department, alongside Luckie & Co. and Peritus PR, earned the highest international recognition for media relations from the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) for their collaborative efforts in spotlighting the state's beautiful outdoors through the Year of Alabama Trails campaign, a two-year celebration spanning 2025 and 2026.
PRGN announced its global media relations award winner during its 2025 Best Communications Practice Awards at a ceremony recently held in Nairobi, Kenya. This Alabama Tourism campaign is part of a broader integrated marketing initiative led by Luckie & Co. In partnership with Peritus PR, a Birmingham-based communications firm and Alabama’s exclusive PRGN agency affiliate. Peritus accepted the Gold Best Practice Award in Media Relations on the team’s behalf.
The Year of Alabama Trails campaign builds on a long tradition of “Year Of” initiatives that spotlight the people, places and experiences that define the state.
“Seeing each of our ‘Year Of’ campaigns come into their own year after year has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my 23-year tenure,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “These campaigns showcase the people, places and experiences that make Alabama unique, and Year of Alabama Trails has given us an incredible opportunity to highlight how our state’s outdoor assets attract visitors, connect communities and fuel local economies.”
Outdoor recreation plays a significant role in Alabama’s economy, contributing $6.6 billion annually and supporting thousands of jobs across the state. From mountain ridges to Gulf Coast beaches, Alabama’s trails invite visitors to explore by foot, bike or paddle, offering one of the most immersive ways to experience the state’s diverse natural beauty.
The Year of Alabama Trails campaign launched in 2025 at Vulcan Park in Birmingham with more than 100 partners in attendance. During the event, the department unveiled Alabama’s Top 25 Must-Tread Trails for 2025, a curated list featuring some of the state’s favorite hiking, biking and paddling paths, along with the debut of the campaign’s eye-catching, larger-than-life hiking boots display.
“At Luckie, we believe great creative should spark curiosity and move people to action,” said Luckie & Co Managing Director Ed Mizzell. “The oversized hiking boots and the Top 25 Must‑Tread Trails list were designed to do exactly that—give Alabamians and visitors a fun, unexpected invitation to discover the state’s trails. We’re honored to partner with the Alabama Tourism Department on a campaign that showcases the best of Alabama’s outdoors in such an engaging way.”
As part of the campaign, the Alabama Tourism Department partnered with Rails to Trails Conservancy, Peritus PR, and several nonprofit organizations across the state to host a multi-day “Tour of Alabama Trails” bike tour for a select group of national travel journalists. Representing outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, and National Geographic, Garden & Gun, and Atlanta Journal Constitution, the journalists biked more than 75 miles through some of North and Central Alabama’s premier trail systems along the Chief Ladiga Trail, Richard Martin Trail, Aldridge Creek Greenway, and Red Rock Trail System in Greater Birmingham.
“We’re proud to share this global media spotlight with our partners at the Alabama Tourism Department and Luckie,” said Peritus PR President Louise Oliver. “The Year of Alabama Trails campaign is a testament to the power of strategic storytelling, turning Alabama’s natural beauty into an economic and cultural driver that resonates far beyond our state’s borders.”
The campaign’s visibility has been significant, generating statewide media coverage and reaching nearly one million people. In 2026, the Year of Alabama Trails expands beyond outdoor recreation, inviting residents and visitors to explore themed “trails” celebrating Alabama’s culture, cuisine, history and natural wonders. From barbecue and music to civil rights and waterfalls, each trail offers a new way to discover the state. Learn more at Alabama.travel.
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Contact:
Lillie Ben Harris, Peritus PR
334-546-0856