News

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…

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…

Hotel Canandaigua * Thursday, April 24, 2025 Your response requested by March 28, 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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

View the recording and transcript here. Slide decks are available here. As we move ever close to the commemoration of the founding of the United States and New York’s role in the American Revolution and the continuing struggle to achieve the ideals of liberty and equality set out in the…

Your 2025 NYSTIA Tourism Champions booth display was in Chicago, Illinois on February 1st and 2nd for our first-ever visit to the windy city! Attendees were excited to see so many New York State destinations represented at the Chicago Travel & Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention…

Schenectady, N.Y.—Lynkwell, a leading energy infrastructure provider, capitalizes on the exponential demand of 2024 and accelerates growth into 2025 by expanding both its go-to-market leadership team and comprehensive platform of solutions.  Despite a measure of industry volatility in…

Park Attendance Data Available Here Governor Kathy Hochul today announced state parks, historic sites, campgrounds and trails operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) saw a record 88.3 million visits in 2024. Total visits statewide…

NYSTIA's Higher Education Advisory Council Member, Dr. Muhammet Kesgin, is serving as a co-chair of the 6th Conference on Managing Tourism Across Continents – Tourism for a Better World, April 30-May 3 (MTCON’25). The conference uniquely addresses both tourism and hospitality subjects, making it…

This winter, escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and discover the art of Hibercation in picturesque Cayuga County. From January 15th through March 15th, this two-month promotional event invites visitors to slow down, unwind, and embrace the quiet joys of the winter season. Hibercation—a…

Since 2002 Rebecca Repp has served as the General Manager for AMERICAN ROAD® magazine–a glossy publication devoted to promoting and communicating the joys of traveling America’s scenic and historic back roads. AMERICAN ROAD® also produces AMERICAN ROAD TRIP TALK—a weekly half-hour radio show…