(Corning, NY, September 10, 2010) - The American Bus Association (ABA) announced that the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, to be held July 15-17, 2011, has been designated as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2011 by an experienced expert tourism industry selection committee. Inclusion in the Top100 list, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine, indicates that the Finger Lakes Wine Festival offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, according to ABA.

With the release of the American Bus Association's 2011 Top 100 Events in North America, ABA celebrates 29 years of the program. What began as a way for motorcoach operators to incorporate new product into their itineraries has grown to one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals, motorcoach operators and the general public.

"The attractiveness of the FingerLakes Wine Festival as a don't-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for the Steuben County Conference & Visitors Bureau," said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABA's president and CEO. "The real news here is that the Finger Lakes WineFestival has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars,at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Corning & the Finger Lakes an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners."

According to studies completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from US $5,000 to more than US $13,000 in a local destination's economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals,admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.

"Motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer," Pantuso said. "That's why the Finger Lakes Wine Festival is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay."

ABA's 2011 Top 100 Events Selection Committee selected the Finger Lakes Wine Festival from among a record number of more than 650 event nominations submitted by ABA members. Judges considered the event's broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches and skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other relevant criteria. "We are honored to be among the ranks of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. We've known the Finger Lakes Wine Festival is a great experience, but it is nice to receive the validation from industry professionals. We look forward to showcasing our world-class wines and genuine hospitality with many group tours in 2011 and many years to come. We appreciate the partnership with the team at Watkins Glen International to promote our communities to motorcoach companies," said Peggy Coleman, President of the Steuben County Conference & Visitors Bureau. "When we work together, everyone wins"

The Top 100 Events list is available online at www.buses.org/top100.

For more information about Corning & the Finger Lakes or other exciting events, visit www.CorningFingerLakes.com or call toll-free 1-866-WINE-FUN.

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The Steuben County Conference & Visitors Bureau was established in 1994. As Steuben County's official tourism marketing agency, our mission is to aggressively promote the visitor industry year-round and thereby stimulate economic growth.