The 2022 Bellevue Destination Awards Winners

The inaugural Bellevue Destination Awards 2022, presented by the Port of Seattle, was held on May 4, 2022, at the Meydenbauer Center. In alignment with National Travel and Tourism Week, leaders in Bellevue’s Travel and Hospitality industry gathered to honor the industry’s most outstanding members. The event was emceed by sports broadcasting veteran, Jen Mueller. Special guests included Commissioner Sam Cho from the Port of Seattle, The City of Bellevue Councilmember Janice Zahn, and Keynote Speaker and Restauranter Chef John Howie. Visit Bellevue is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022 Bellevue Destination Awards:

2022 Bellevue Destination Awards Convention of The Year- Washington State DECA

Washington State DECA has been a convention powerhouse in Bellevue, bringing thousands of students to the city each year has a combined economic impact of $3.2 million dollars for both the State Career Development Conference and the Fall Leadership Conference.

2022 Bellevue Destination Awards Best Marketing Campaign- The Bellevue Collection

The Bellevue Collection’s “Shop & Stay Getaway” promotion provided an incentive to stay in three Bellevue hotels and receive a $100 gift card to the Bellevue Collection for each day the visitor was here.  The campaign was a resounding success, with thousands of redemptions, pumping interest, and activity back into Bellevue.

2022 Bellevue Destination Awards Event of the Year- Wintergrass

Wintergrass Music Festival has been a stalwart of the Bellevue scene for well over 10 years. This four-day family-friendly bluegrass and acoustic music festival has concerts and dances on four stages and includes education programs for kids of all ages, including workshops. This year’s festival was successful, as people put the pandemic behind them and picked up their instruments to jam in the universal language of music. Visitors from around the country and the world came to Bellevue to be part of this annual magical music festival.

2022 Bellevue Destination Awards Outstanding Individual- Jeannie Mikkelsen

Celebrating over 30 years at Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Jeannie Mikkelsen remains as passionate about Bellevue and the Hyatt Regency Bellevue as she was when she first joined the hotel’s team. As Associate Director of Sales, Jeannie has been a key leader in successfully navigating through the pandemic while remaining laser-focused and excited about continuing to develop Bellevue as a visitor destination.

2022 Bellevue Destination Awards Rising Star- Jiayi Jin

An invaluable member of the Hilton Bellevue, Jiayi proves day after day his dedication to the Hilton Hotel guests and their experience as well as the experience of his coworkers. From holding the hotel together during the snowstorm in December '21, always being polished/professional, exemplifying commitment by obtaining a Master’s in Hospitality.

2022 Bellevue Destination Awards Business of the Year- Whisk

The team at Whisk includes a talented team of chefs who successfully navigated the Pandemic while sharing their craft with visitors in an approachable and encouraging way.  Those who visit the Whisk store on Main Street step into a warm and inviting place where the passion for culinary arts is cultivated and nurtured.  Visitors who come to Whisk create unique and lasting memories while acquiring useful culinary skills.

About the Bellevue Destination Awards- The Bellevue Destination Awards were born from the Bellevue Destination Development Plan which envisioned the community to create, implement, and operate a tourism business awards program to recognize and celebrate tourism-related businesses, employees, events, marketing, and promotions that best reflect Bellevue’s ideals and high-quality tourism experiences. Nominations were submitted and selected by a panel of industry professionals and peers