New York - The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau and M. Silver - A Division of Finn Partners, their public relations agency for North America, have won Gold in the prestigious Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards, making it the only Mexican destination to be recognized with an award from this prestigious association.

Announced at the Adrian Awards Gala at the New York Marriott Marquis on February 23, 2015, the recognition was for two television segments on Nikon Birding Adventures, America's top birdwatching show.

The award is a direct result of the on-going mission of Riviera Nayarit to communicate with top tier outlets to generate evocative coverage that conveys the abundance of luxury and nature throughout the destination. As a result of the agency's management of the development of the filming schedule, Riviera Nayarit showcased its birdwatching with unforgettable images of San Blas to a niche audience.

The two Nikon Birding Adventures episodes each aired five times on the Discovery Channel and Pursuit Channel in 2013 and 2014. The episodes introduce Riviera Nayarit and San Blas as a top birdwatching destination. Increasing visits to San Blas through the promotion of birdwatching, which is often associated with a more affluent and discerning traveler, is seen as a viable tourism development strategy for the destination. According to a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service study, birdwatchers contributed $36 billion to the US economy in recent years and one in five Americans are identified as birdwatchers.

Discovery Channel is an educational cable channel that reaches more than 98 million households in the U.S., part of its global audience of 431 million homes in 170 countries. Pursuit Channel reaches more than 38 million households and is the only outdoor network delivered on DISH and DIRECTV's BASIC package, channels received by every subscriber regardless of their level of service. As a result, San Blas showed a 32.18% increase in the number of visitors over the previous year, which the destination credits to the TV program.

The Riviera Nayarit CVB's Public Relations Department recently coordinated a new film production headed by James Currie, producer and host of the Discovery Channel's "Nikon Birding Adventures" program, the motive behind the award received on February 23rd in New York City.

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International has presented marketing and public relations awards for 58 years. The Adrian Awards competition is comprised of multiple categories in three entry divisions: advertising, public relations and web marketing. It recognizes the outstanding marketing campaigns that influence American consumers and best support the business goals of global tourism destinations and hospitality entities.

This year's contest attracted nearly 1,000 entries from around the world, with entries judged by top executives from all sectors of the industry. With more than 30 countries participating in the competition, HSMAI's Adrian Awards are considered the most prestigious in the hospitality industry.