American travel within the U.S. will near 730 million trips in 2026. America's Favorite Small Towns Competition—a multi-platform initiative designed to help travelers discover the truly unique hidden gems across the country—is an opportunity for small towns to get in front of millions of people before they begin planning those trips when consumer voting begins in November. The program will be supported by Parade and Steller across digital, social, print, and PR channels nationwide. All participating towns will be featured on a dedicated landing page on Parade.com, which will utilize Steller Connect's embeddable trip-planning technology to seamlessly link travelers from inspiration to booking.
How America's Favorite Small Towns Competition Helps Small Towns
By participating in the competition, small towns receive exposure to over 130 million potential travelers through Parade.com, Steller.co, and on their combined social channels. Additional exposure and prizes for finalists and the winning town include:
- Coverage in Parade's "Favorite Small Towns in America" special print issue (all finalists)
- The coveted C4 cover placement in a Parade special print issue (overall winner)
- The ability to promote the achievement with the "Favorite Small Town in America" badge and signage (overall winner)
- A special Parade x Steller activation at the winning town's July 4th festivities, which will include potential celebrity involvement, sponsor giveaways, and national media coverage.
How to Enter America's Favorite Small Towns Competition
Any town with a population under 250,000 is invited to enter now at americasfavoritesmalltowns.parade.com/. The first 200 submissions will have their entry fee waived, so towns are encouraged to enter early. States and DMOs may enter on behalf of their communities.
"Parade has been supporting and celebrating local communities for more than 80 years, beginning with our partnerships with local newspapers," said Lisa Delaney, General Manager and Chief Content Officer of Parade. "By partnering with Steller to launch the America's Favorite Small Towns Competition, Parade is continuing our legacy of showcasing local stories and connecting our readers to the heart of small-town America."
"Many of the country's greatest tourism assets are in small towns and communities; they are the fabric of our country," said Steller CEO Pete Bryant. "Yet, small towns struggle to reach travelers due to budget constraints and lack of marketing resources. The America's Favorite Small Towns Competition is designed to help small towns gain the visibility they need and deserve."
Domestic leisure travel is projected to generate more than $920 billion in 2026, according to a report from the U.S. Travel Association. The America's Favorite Small Towns Competition aims to help small towns capture their fair share of that spending. Tourism drives job creation, supports infrastructure investments, and provides a powerful boost to related industries.
DMOs, CVBs, and small towns: Don't miss your chance to put your community on the map and attract new visitors this year. Submit your town now at americasfavoritesmalltowns.parade.com/.
About Steller
Steller, headquartered in Kirkland, Wash., is the market leading travel planning platform that guides travelers from inspiration to planning and booking through authentic experiences of their favorite creators. Steller's patent pending platform distributes millions of pieces of bespoke, worldwide video content that can be found and booked on the Steller app. Learn more at www.steller.co and stellerforbusiness.com.
About Parade
Parade, the premium legacy entertainment and lifestyle brand, has been enlightening, delighting and inspiring audiences for more than 80 years. Parade is owned and operated by The Arena Group (NYSE American: AREN), an innovative technology platform and media company with a proven cutting-edge playbook that transforms media brands. Arena's unified technology platform empowers creators and publishers with tools to publish and monetize their content, while also leveraging quality journalism of anchor brands like TheStreet, Parade, Men's Journal and Athlon Sports to build their businesses. The company aggregates content across a diverse portfolio of brands, reaching over 100 million users monthly. Visit us at thearenagroup.net and discover how we are revolutionizing the world of digital media.
SOURCE Steller
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