Times Observer photo by Delaney Chase Jim Decker, president of WCCBI, and Michael Plish, park manager, accept 2025 Tourism Awards for Tourism Event of the Year and Tourism Organization of the Year at the Warren County Visitors Bureau 2025 Tourism Awards on Thursday.

WARREN – The Warren County Visitors Bureau hosted their annual 2025 Tourism Awards on Thursday.

The Visitor’s Bureau chooses one event and one organization each year who they believe benefit the business and tourism of Warren County.

Trails at Jakes Rocks Trail Fest received the Tourism Event of the Year 2025 award. The president of the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry Jim Decker accepted the award.

Chapman State Park received the award for Tourism Organization of the Year 2025. Park manager Michael Plish accepted the award.

Lisa Card, Warren County Visitors Bureau executive director, and the board of directors determine the award winners. According to Card, she chooses nominations and board members vote on who they believe should receive the awards.

The Tourism Awards began in 2022. Previous winners include:

Tourism Event of the Year 2022 – Warren County Fair

Tourism Organization of the Year 2022 – Allegheny Outfitters

Tourism Event of the Year 2023 – Fourth of July Celebrations

Tourism Organization of the Year 2023 – Allegheny National Forest

Tourism Event of the Year 2024 – USCA National Marathon Canoe & Kayak Championships

Tourism Organization of the Year 2024 – Bent Run Brewing

Card expressed the importance of tourism within Warren County.

“Businesses, they depend on money from tourism to operate, to stay in operation,” said Card.

She shared that the Visitor’s Bureau has been seen by tourists from all over the world, including places as close as Erie, Pittsburgh and Cleveland and places as far as California, Poland and Germany.

Those at the Visitors Bureau work to make sure tourists see all that Warren County has to offer.

“It’s my job to make sure I get people in every direction of Warren County,” said Card.

The event also included guest speaker Jenny Phillips, Marketing Director of Warren Works, and dinner catered by Bean Bank Enterprise Inc., Moore’s Garden Shoppe, Warren County Career Center Hilltop Restaurant & Kondak’s Market.