News

Your NYS Tourism Champions exhibit booth was at the inaugural AAA Erie Vacation Expo at the Bayfront Convention Center. The one-day event, which took place on March 16th, had good attendance for its first-ever show. We were given a large space in the middle of the show, flanked by other New York…

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Office of General Services today announced that two interactive video kiosks highlighting New York’s rich history in the American Revolution have been installed at the New York State Capitol and Empire State Plaza to commemorate…

The 2025 NYS Tourism Conference attendees are in for a treat! For the first time, the NYSTIA Scholarship Auction will feature a live auctioneer—Carrie Hessney-Doran, a second-generation auctioneer from the Finger Lakes! Join us at the 2025 NYS Tourism Conference, April 23–25, at the…

Accessible travel is one of the most underestimated opportunities in tourism today. With over 1.2 billion people worldwide living with disabilities, this is the largest minority on earth—one that every single one of us will belong to at some point in our lives. Add to that the aging baby boomer…

Discover how the hospitality industry can cultivate the next generation of talent! On Friday, April 25th at the 2025 NYS Tourism Conference, Fatima Finnegan, VP of Workforce Initiatives & Industry Relations at the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association, will share insights on building a strong…

Jackie Saunders is the Vice President, Destination Strategy for Clicktripz. Founded in 2010, Clicktripz is among the world’s largest travel ad network, giving travel brands exclusive access to 100 million travel shoppers per month. Their direct publisher integrations don’t rely on ad exchanges…

Running a sweepstakes or contest can be a fun and engaging way to boost your existing campaigns, and is particularly effective in enhancing the awareness and consideration stages of the sales funnel. Join us at the 2025 NYS Tourism Conference as Bridget Cerrone, Senior Marketing Strategist at…

After 40 years of leadership and dedication, Valerie Knoblauch is retiring from her role as President and CEO of Finger Lakes Visitors Connection. During her tenure, Val has been instrumental in advancing the Finger Lakes as a premier tourism destination, creating lasting partnerships, and…

Hotel Canandaigua * Thursday, April 24, 2025 Your response requested by March 31, 2025 It has been six years since the annual scholarship auction was held at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo in 2019, raising $17,500 to build our scholarship fund balance. There was no live/in-person conference held in April…

ITHACA, NY (March 3, 2025) – Peggy Coleman is taking the reins as the next president and chief executive officer of Tompkins Chamber. The Tompkins Chamber vice president and director of Visit Ithaca for the last 8 years, Coleman had served as interim president of the organization since October…

Your Tourism Champions booth was on display at the Canal Society of New York State Winter Symposium & Annual Meeting. We previewed the Tourism Champions booth that will be on display at the Old Erie Canal Heritage Park at Port Byron on the New York State Thruway later in 2025. Attendees showed a…

Your New York State Tourism Champions booth display(s) racked up the miles this week as we participated in two travel events that continue to be strong performers in our travel show schedule.. Nate Gresock brought your booth display to Toronto's International Centre for the Outdoor Adventure Show.…

Cayuga County, NY 2/19/25 – Tour Cayuga, the organization dedicated to promoting Cayuga County as a visitor destination, is proud to celebrate February 19, 2025, as Destination Professionals Day to honor the people and organizations that drive tourism, economic growth and community vitality…

New York State’s economy is deeply connected to Canadian trade and travel, making it particularly vulnerable to the effects of a prolonged U.S.-Canada trade dispute. To support informed advocacy efforts, the Canadian Consulate General to New York has made a document available outlining key…

Your NYS Tourism Champions exhibit booth was strategically located at the entrance for our first visit to the Pittsburgh International Auto Show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The four day event (February 14-17) was well attended and we benefitted from our highly visible location. Many…

Your support and participation as an active, dues paying member of the New York State Tourism Industry Association is vital to our success. When asked to describe 'who/what NYSTIA is, we provide this statement:  The New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA)is a member-driven,…

As we begin the 2025 Tourism Champions Travel Show Schedule, I want to share the list of shows we are currently confirmed to attend in 2025. We are actively looking to add events to our schedule and will share updates throughout the year when shows are added. It is a valuable learning experience…

Touchdown! Your NYS Tourism Champions booth and the AAA Northeast Travel Marketplace chalked up a win on February 8 at Gillette Stadium. Your NYSTIA exhibit booth was a popular stop with travel fans and with attendees. During the first few hours of the event travel intenders visiting the booth…

Sophia Root is the Tourism Director and Communications and Marketing Coordinator for Commerce Chenango. In her role Sophia is the administrator TMF for Chenango County.  Commerce Chenango is dedicated to enhancing the economic vitality of Chenango County by promoting the county and local…

Join us at the 2025 NYS Tourism Conference, April 23, as Sara Meaney, Managing Partner at Destination Wayfinder, takes the stage to share insights on Navigating Your Destination Stewardship Journey. Don't miss this opportunity to gain expert guidance on shaping the future of sustainable tourism in…