GULF SHORES, Ala. (October 30, 2026)—It is with great pleasure that the publishers of ConventionSouth, the national multimedia resource for planning events in the South, present Discover Fort Smith with a 2026 Readers’ Choice Award. 

“Each year, ConventionSouth readers and fans cast their votes to recognize the best meeting sites in the South, and we are delighted that Discover Fort Smith has been selected to receive our annual Readers’ Choice Award,” said ConventionSouth Associate Publisher Tiffany Burtnett. “This prestigious recognition reflects the confidence of leading meeting professionals from across the country who host events in the South. These planners expect exceptional customer service, quality facilities, and memorable experiences, and they have recognized Discover Fort Smith for its commitment to professionalism, creativity, and outstanding service.” 

Discover Fort Smith is among 533 convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs), meeting facilities, hotels, and unique venues located across the South to receive this year’s Readers’ Choice Award. Throughout the year, meeting professionals nominated the meeting sites they believe provide exemplary service for group events. The nominated sites are then compiled onto an online ballot where meeting professionals and fans are asked to vote for the best of the best. With over 7,000 voters participating in the selection process and the highest social media interaction to date, this has been the most successful and engaging year ever! 

Since its creation in 2001, this is the seventh time that Discover Fort Smith has received the award, making it an even greater honor to present the venue with a 2026 Readers’ Choice Award. Discover Fort Smith will be featured as an award recipient in the December 2026 Awards Issue of ConventionSouth magazine. 

This exciting issue will also showcase some of the most talented meeting professionals in the nation as ConventionSouth presents planners with its annual “Meeting Professionals To Watch” designation. “Featuring peer advice and trade secrets from our Meeting Professionals to Watch in 2026, our Awards Issue is one of the most popular must-read resources within the meetings industry,” Burtnett said. 

Celebrating over 40 years as a leading meeting planning resource for Southern destinations, ConventionSouth is based in Gulf Shores, Ala., and is distributed to more than 18,000 meeting professionals located across the country who book events held within the South. 

 

Contact: 

  • Tiffany Burtnett 
  • Associate Publisher 
  • tburtnett@conventionsouth.com 
  • (251) 968-5300