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The Northstar Stella Awards FAQ
- ABOUT THE STELLAS
- THE ENTRY PROCESS
- PLANNER VOTING
- JUDGING
- WINNING AN AWARD
- CELEBRATING AN AWARD
- STELLA AWARDS UPDATES & CONTACT INFO
ABOUT THE STELLAS
What are the Stella Awards?
The Stella Awards recognize hotels, convention centers, conference centers, airlines, cruise lines, DMO/CVBs, and DMCs that consistently deliver quality service and innovation to meeting and events professionals. Honors are awarded in 16 categories celebrating overall excellence, superb food & beverage, professionalism of staff, sustainability initiatives, and other critical aspects of the meetings and event experience. Finalists in each category are determined by industry professionals during an open voting period, while winners will be selected by an expert panel of judges overseen by the editors of Northstar Meetings Group's leading brands, Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Meeting News and Incentive.
2024 Stella Awards Mission Statement
Planners look for destinations, venues and other partners that they can trust to provide a best-in-class experience. The Stella Awards aim to honor those hotels and suppliers who provide exemplary service and exceptional acheivements.
How are regions defined?
- Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Washington, D.C.
- Southeast: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.
- Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.
- Southwest: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah.
- Far West: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming.
- International and U.S. Territories: In addition to other overseas destinations, international includes Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean.
THE ENTRY PROCESS
Who is eligible to enter?
The 2024 Stella Awards will open for entries on November 15, 2024. The Stella Awards are open to hotels, resorts, convention centers, conference centers, convention & visitor bureaus (CVBs), destination marketing organizations (DMOs), destination management companies (DMCs), airlines, and cruise lines. Organizations may submit single or multiple entries.
What categories can I enter?
Organizations can nominate themselves in any of the 16 categories that are relevant to their business and/or regional presence. We encourage nominees to tailor each submission to the specific category being entered.
HOTEL CATEGORIES
- Best Hotel Chain (global)
- Best Sustainability Initiative (global)
- Best Hotel/Resort (regional)
- Best Hotel/Resort Event Space [On-Site] (regional)
- Best Boutique Property (regional)
- Best Décor/Design (regional)
- Best Food and Beverage (regional)
- Best Golf Resort (regional)
- Best On-Site Support Staff (regional)
- Best Renovation [Within the Past Year] (regional)
SUPPLIER CATEGORIES
- Best Airline (global)
- Best Cruise Line (global)
- Best CVB/DMO (regional)
- Best DMC (regional)
- Best Conference Center [Standalone Facility] (global)
- Best Convention Center [Standalone Facility] (regional)
Can I enter more than one category?
Yes, a single entity can enter multiple relevant categories. There are discounted entry fees for doing so.
Am I allowed to submit multiple entries in one category?
Yes, you may submit different entries into the same category as long as each entry meets the category parameters.
Is there a discounted entry fee for multiple entries or categories?
Enter the Stella Awards by February 16, 2024 to receive a discounted early bird entry fee of $85 for the first entry, $30 for each additional entry, and $160 for unlimited entries. After February 16, 2024, the fee is $105 for the first entry, $60 for each additional entry, and $245 for unlimited entries.
Does entering multiple categories increase / decrease my chances of winning?
Applicants may enter multiple categories as appropriate, thus increasing the chances of winning a Stella Award. If an applicant is entered into multiple categories, it may win multiple times.
Why is there an entry fee?
Entry fees will be used to defray the expenses of the judging, marketing, communications and other costs involved with The Stella Awards. The fees include promotional assets for self promotion.
How much is the entry fee?
EARLY BIRD
Enter by February 16, 2024: First entry: $85. Additional entries: $30. Unlimited entries (4 or more): $160
STANDARD
After February 16, 2024: $105 for the first entry, $60 for each additional entry, $245 for unlimited entries (4 or more).
IMPORTANT: All entry fees must be paid in full before entries will be eligible for judging.
Which payment methods are available?
Payment may be made by credit card, check, or wire transfer. We accept American Express, Mastercard, Discover and Visa. Payment by check must be made in U.S. dollars by check or draft drawn on a U.S. bank payable to Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Non-U.S. bank checks will be returned. Please note the name of the entering organization on your check or draft.
Send checks to:
Attn: The Stella Awards
Northstar Travel Media, LLC
301 Route 17 North
Suite 1150
Rutherford, NJ 07070
Can I receive an invoice?
Once your submission fee is paid in full, you will receive a confirmation email that includes a link to a receipt in PDF format. You will also have access to your invoices/receipts under “My Account” when logged in to The Stella Awards site.
Can I withdraw my entry? Will I get a refund?
You may withdraw your entry any time prior to the planner vote. However, all entry fees are non-refundable.
How do I enter?
Your first step to entering the 2024 Stella Awards is to create an online registration form and select which categories you would like to enter. You will then be prompted to submit supporting information and to confirm your proposed entry or entries. Once you have confirmed your submission(s) you will be prompted to pay the relevant fee(s).
What are the deadline date(s)?
The nomination period will close on March 15, 2024.
Where can I submit an entry?
All entries must be submitted online at www.stella-awards.com. We will not accept submissions in any other format.
PLANNER VOTING
Who can vote?
Voting will be open, via registration only, to meetings and events professionals across industries, including readers of Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Incentive and Meeting News.
Do planners need to pay a fee to vote?
No, voting is free.
How does the voting process work?
Finalists in each category will be determined by industry professionals during an open voting period online at http://stella-awards.com, while winners will be selected by an expert panel of judges overseen by the editors of Northstar Meetings Group’s leading brands, Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Meeting News and Incentive.
What criteria will voters use?
Voters will be encouraged to choose their favorite nominees based on overall excellence, professionalism, technology innovations, and other critical aspects of the meetings and event experience.
When does planner voting start?
Voting will open on April 3, 2024.
When does planner voting close?
Voting will close on May 3, 2024.
Can someone vote multiple times?
Registered voters will be able to vote for one nominee per category or region.
How will voting be promoted?
Voting will be promoted via Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Meeting News and Incentive across print, email, social and online channels.
Can nominees promote themselves to drive votes?
Yes, we highly encourage nominees to promote themselves and will provide tips and resources to help them get the word out to their own audiences.
When and how will finalists be notified?
Finalists will be notified via email after public voting closes on May 10, 2024.
Is any further action required by finalists?
Finalists will be prompted to submit additional supporting materials that will be assessed by the judging panel (i.e. relevant photos, testimonials, menus, website links, etc.) to ensure their submission is as competitive as possible.
JUDGING
Who are the judges?
The Stella Awards judges are a select jury of meetings professionals chosen by the editorial staff of Meetings & Conventions, Successful Meetings, Meeting News and Incentive.
How are the judges selected?
The Stella Awards judges are selected based on the breadth of their experience, and interest in participating in the process to recognize and honor organizations that consistently deliver quality service and innovation to meeting and events professionals.
How does the judging process work?
Judges will access the supporting materials from the finalists in each category online, and will use a point system to rate the merits of each entry. Entries with the highest cumulative ratings will be selected as the winners.
What criteria will the judges use to evaluate finalists’ submissions?
The Stella Awards judges will evaluate each finalist’s application, including supporting materials, based solely on the strengths of their submissions in relation to the other finalists in the respective category.
When will judging close?
Judging will be finalized on June 28, 2024.
Will the judges' comments be made public?
The unique qualities of each winner will be described in aggregate based on the judges’ collective commentary.
WINNING AN AWARD
When will winners be announced?
Winners will be announced October 1, 2024. Winners and finalists will be featured online and in the November/December 2024 issues of Meetings & Conventions and MeetingNews, as well as online at www.northstarmeetingsgroup.com/The-Stella-Awards.
How will the winners be promoted?
Northstar Meetings Group will publish a special supplement to be distributed with the November issues of Meetings & Conventions, Meeting News and Incentive which will include promotional opportunities for finalists and winners. Winners will also be showcased online year-round at www.northstarmeetingsgroup.com/The-Stella-Awards. Additionally, a full suite of related digital and print opportunities will be available.
CELEBRATING AN AWARD
How can winners promote their award(s)?
Our partners at PARS International can help winning organizations capitalize on their recognition by using the Stella Awards logo, Northstar’s logo, the issue cover or any associated images or accolades for corporate and commercial purposes, including websites, social platforms, trade show booth/collateral and advertising. Please see this whitepaper on making the most of your Stella Award. If you would like to license the Stella Awards logo for any advertisements or social media campaigns you are planning, please use the logo and accolade licensing form which can be found at this link.
STELLA AWARDS UPDATES & CONTACT INFO
How can I receive updates about the awards?
Northstar Meetings Group will keep all nominees and registered voters updated throughout the voting and judging process, including the announcement of winners. Anyone else interested in keeping in touch can send an email to stellas@ntmllc.com and you will be added to our notification list.
More questions?
Contact stellas@ntmllc.com
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