TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Tourism honored 11 hospitality professionals with High Five Hospitality Awards during its annual meeting Thursday at the City Opera House. The ceremony recognized individuals for their work in sectors including lodging, restaurants, attractions and festivals.
The awards program, now in its third year, highlights the workforce behind an industry that generates more than $1 billion in annual direct spending for the Traverse City area. The organization reported that while Michigan remains the primary source of visitors, the region is drawing increasing interest from several other states and national media outlets.
Trevor Tkach serves as the president of Traverse City Tourism. During the meeting, he highlighted the role that local industry workers play in the region’s success. “This region is home to so many amazing people who pour their talent and energy into this industry,” Tkach said. “They are essential to creating the welcoming environment for millions of visitors each year and this is our chance to shine a spotlight on those efforts.”
The Traverse City Tourism Board of Directors selected Chris MacInnes, the co-owner of Crystal Mountain, to receive the Community Impact award. Tkach noted that MacInnes has spent years contributing to the field. “Chris has demonstrated a lifetime of supporting the hospitality industry and community service, not just locally, but throughout the state,” Tkach said.
The remaining High Five Hospitality Award winners included Kristen Warbe of Trattoria Stella, Ann Pettyjohn and Peter Krupka of Chateau Chantal, as well as Caroline Rizzo and Scott Firman of Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. Other recipients were Molly Kreykes of Crystal Mountain, Leah Moerdyk of Black Star Farms Winery, Christa Brenner of Shorts Brewing Company, Mandy DePuy of the National Cherry Festival and Sarah Bobier of Artisan Restaurant & Delamar.
All 11 award recipients were presented with a certificate of recognition from the state. They also received a gift package designed to allow them to experience various hospitality offerings within the Traverse City region.
While the majority of travelers come from within Michigan, the annual meeting report identified several other top states for visitors. These include Ohio, Ill., Ind., Fla., Texas, Wis. and California. Direct spending from these and other visitors contributes more than $1 billion to the local economy annually.
Digital outreach for the region included more than 10 million video views and activity from more than 270,000 social media followers. A community report indicated that the Traverse City Tourism website attracted more than 2.3 million users and recorded over seven million page views.
National publications have recently issued several accolades for the area. Midwest Living named it “Food City of the Year,” while Eater called it “The Best Dining Destination in 2026.” Other recognitions came from TripAdvisor, which listed the area for “Best of the Best Beaches,” as well as Good Housekeeping, Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine Magazine.
Tkach addressed the continued growth of the local food and beverage industry, referencing the Traverse City Food & Wine event held last August. “We are no longer an undiscovered culinary destination; we have been discovered,” Tkach said. “The unique connection between the agriculture community and its ties to restaurants and creative beverage craftsmen is bearing fruit.”