Program

FLXperience FAM Tour 

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Enjoy Canandaigua's Main Street Businesses!

Bus loops to Hotel Canandaigua every 30 minutes

Celebrating the Career of Valerie Knoblauch

RSVP and Donate to the Named Scholarship Fund

Program

Welcome to the 2025 New York State Tourism Conference!

Opening Remarks

• • • Greg LaDuca, Chair NYSTIA Board of Directors, Visit Rochester

Welcome to Ontario County

• • • Valerie Knoblauch, President & CEO, Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

Welcome to the Hotel Canandaigua

• • • Melissa Oliver, General Manager, Hotel Canandaigua

Stewardship: Exploring the Tourism Ecosystem

Keynote Remarks

• • • Don Welsh, President, Destinations International - About Don

Navigating Your Destination Stewardship Journey

• • • Sara Meaney, Destination Wayfinder - About this session

Advocacy & Destination Stewardship

• • • Josiah Brown, New York's Best Experiences 

Market Updates

First-Time Attendees Meet & Greet

First-time attendees meet and greet with the NYSTIA Board, Committee Chairs, and Ambassadors

Welcome Reception - Meet the Makers

Enjoy locally-sourced F&B at the Hotel Canandaigua Lobby and Outdoor Bar THE BIRDCAGE

Explore Canandaigua on your own!

FLX Restaurant List

Nightcaps and Nibbles

Hotel Canandaigua Bar

Program

Breakfast Buffet

Welcome to Canandaigua

• • • Guest Elected Official remarks

Immersion Experientials: Exploring the Tourism Ecosystem / Stewardship

Immersion Tours

Luncheon

I LOVE NEW YORK Update

• • • Ross D Levi, Executive Director/Vice President, NYS Division of Tourism - I LOVE NY
    • Rich Gagliano, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Empire State Development

About this Session

New York City Update

• • Kelly Curtin, Executive Vice President, NYC Tourism + Conventions

Member-to-Member 1:1 Networking Sessions

Spend valuable one-on-one time with our partners and solutions providers to get acquainted with their multifaceted services and discuss your destination/organization's needs.

Book Your Sessions - Book fast before they're gone!

TPA Meeting

• Ross D. Levi, Executive Director/Vice President, NYS Division of Tourism - I LOVE NY - TPAs only

Telling Stories with Images

• Glenn Clark, Creative Director, Photographer, and Designer, Crafting a Brand - About this Session

Networking Reception

10th Anniversary Dinner Banquet & Scholarship Auction

You're on your own! 

FLX Restaurant Guide

Program

Brunch Buffet

Welcome to Canandaigua

• • • Guest Elected Official remarks

Reflections & Group Feedback from the Immersion Experience

Interactive Lead Generation...That's Fun!

• • Bridget Cerrone, Advance Media New York - About this Session

Building the Hospitality Workforce for Tomorrow: New Approaches & Opportunities

• • Fatima Finnegan, VP Workforce Initiatives & Industry Relations at Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association - About this Session

10:00 - 10:30 am

The State of Destination Marketing

• • Seth Orozco, Destination Director Sojern - About this Session

Breaking Barriers, Boosting Tourism: The Untapped Potential of Accessible Travel

• • Arturo Gaona, Chief Partnership Officer, Founding Member, Wheel the World - About this Session

2025 Plans & Programs

• Various speakers will 'set the stage' for May through September programming / Advocacy Priorities, Tourism Excellence Awards, 250 Summit, 2025 Golf Tournament

Adjournment

Canal NY Marketing & Business Alliance Luncheon

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