Showcasing the Tri-Cities to visitors has been a mission of the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau since its inception in 1969.

And tourism pioneers in the area need to be recognized for helping build the momentum for growth, said Kris Watkins, president and CEO of the bureau, at the bureau's annual meeting Thursday at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. They showed "passion, endurance, loyalty, vision and strength," she said, paying tribute to early leaders who worked hard to make the Tri-Cities a travel destination.