Explore Brookhaven earns top honors for sustainable tourism efforts

Brookhaven Police Department’s Barry holding a stuffed animal from Explore Brookhaven, Brook the Bear. (Courtesy of Explore Brookhaven) Explore Brookhaven, the city’s tourism and marketing arm, has received kudos for ongoing excellence and leadership in the destination marketing field. At the 2025 Destinations International annual convention held in Chicago earlier this month, industry leaders met to discuss the evolving landscape of destination marketing and management with a spotlight on community engagement, sustainability, and responsible tourism. Explore Brookhaven President and CEO Renée Areng was reappointed to the 2025-2026 Destinations International Board of Trustees. Areng said she is honored to continue serving on the board, and is committed to advancing the industry at the national and international level. Explore Brookhaven holds a global accreditation, meeting rigorous industry standards in governance, finance, destination development, innovation, and advocacy. The organization was recognized with a gold-level Benchmark of Excellence from the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (GACVB). “These three recognitions reflect Explore Brookhaven’s unwavering focus on excellence, transparency and impact,” said Areng. “They represent the hard work of our entire team and our dedication to driving sustainable tourism that benefits our community, businesses and visitors alike.” Explore Brookhaven, a nonprofit organization, is directed by a board of civic and business leaders within the community that represent lodging, food service and arts and culture. Explore Brookhaven is planning events through 2026 to be held at the new Brookhaven City Centre. In addition to year-round art exhibits, Explore Brookhaven will host the Art Pop-Up + Shop featuring works from local artists and artisans and Taste Brookhaven with local chefs and restaurants. A weekend of mahjong is also in the works. The post Explore Brookhaven earns top honors for sustainable tourism efforts appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.