New York State Tourism Industry Association

05/11/2024

This past weekend New York State's tourism industry was showcased in Canada and New York's capital city. NYSTIA’s Nate Gresock brought our exhibit booth to the 2024 Montreal International Tourism & Travel Show, and Brooke Wilson exhibited at the 2024 Adirondack Sports & Northeast Ski Expo at Albany's Capital Center. These were our final travel shows of 2024 and capped an unprecedented year of outreach of consumer and travel trade event marketing by NYSTIA for New York State's destinations and attractions. Nate reports that we finished our most aggressive travel show schedule ever with a record-breaking two-day distribution of nearly 4,000 brochures in Montreal!

👏 A BIG THANK YOU to our 2024 Tourism Champions! Your support enabled us to get the word (and the literature!) out about your destinations. We returned to the New York State Fair, attended multiple events throughout the year, and had a presence on the Thruway at the Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park.

As we look to 2025, we invite you to join us as a 2025 Tourism Champion and participate in 18+ shows across the U.S. and Canada, complimentary registration at the 2025 NYS Tourism Conference, 2025 New York State Tourism Best Practices Summit, and more!

Nov 5, 2024 Back to Industry News Become a Member Join us on our journey to shape a better future for New York State's communities and residents! This past weekend New York State's tourism industry was was showcased in Canada and New York's capital city. NYSTIA’s Nate Gresock brought our exhibit b...

31/10/2024

💡 Each year, New Yorkers leave nearly 40 million days of paid time off (PTO) unused, with 12 million days (over $3 billion in benefits) expiring annually. Imagine if we turned those days into valuable travel within New York State, boosting both personal well-being and local economies.

Join NYSTIA's grassroots to encourage New Yorkers to use their PTO in-state this holiday season. Use the free toolkit on our website to make sharing this message easy and effective.

Let’s unlock the value of unused PTO for a stronger New York tourism economy. Our thanks to the team at BBG&G Integrated Marketing for their efforts in launching this initiative.

At the NYS Tourism Excellence Summit, NYSTIA’s Bob Provost highlighted an eye-opening stat: New Yorkers leave up to 40 million days of paid time off (PTO) unused each year1! Even more—an estimated 12 million of these days, worth over $3 billion2 in PTO benefits, expire annually. Imagine the impa...

23/10/2024

This past weekend, New York State tourism destinations were represented simultaneously at multiple locations for the "Travel Show Trifecta"! All across the Northeast, the NYSTIA team made sure that the charm and diversity of New York State were top of mind. Nate Gresock was in Ohio at the AAA Cleveland Vacation Expo, where he engaged with travelers eager to explore New York's diverse destinations. Bob Provost headed to Dream Destinations in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he also brought the wonders of New York State to travel enthusiasts. Meanwhile, Brooke Wilson connected with tour operators and industry leaders at the Bus Association of New York (BANY) event hosted at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, where she connected with many NYSTIA members and met many new people at the BANY event.

Join us as a 2025 Tourism Champion and help us build on the incredible momentum from this year!

Oct 22, 2024 Back to Industry News Become a Member Join us on our journey to shape a better future for New York State's communities and residents! Last weekend, New York State tourism destinations were represented in our exhibit at the "Travel Show Trifecta" weekend! All across the Northeast, the NY...

11/10/2024

Last weekend the Tourism Champions Booth was at the nation's #1 National Drive Electric Week event, exhibiting at the New York Capital District Drive Electric Week & Sustainability Fair in Schenectady, NY! As part of NYSTIA's efforts to promote tourism in New York State, we love supporting EV travel throughout the state! We want to thank Lynkwell for inviting us to exhibit at the event.

30/09/2024

Last week, a NYSTIA team had the pleasure of traveling to beautiful Akwesasne, New York, for the Akwesasne Tourism Summit! Bob Provost kicked things off as the keynote speaker with his talk on Tourism Done Right. Brooke Wilson contributed to the sustainability and agrotourism panel, highlighting green initiatives across New York State. Afterward, Rachele Markle extended her stay to explore local restaurants and learn more at the Akwesasne Cultural Center.

A HUGE thank you to the team at Akwesasne Travel for inviting us, and for their incredible hospitality!

24/09/2024

Let's grow membership together! 🤝 Note from Greg LaDuca, NYSTIA Board Chair and Senior Vice President - Industry Relations at Visit Rochester:

"Greetings from Rochester NY! I am pleased and honored to be the Chair of the NYSTIA Board of Directors. I started to engage with NYSTIA in 2017 and quickly knew that I wanted to get involved. I have met so many wonderful people through NYSTIA. I have also learned so much. I could go on and on…

In my day job at Visit Rochester I get to work with over 500 active members. As the staff liaison to Visit Rochester’s Visitor Industry Council (VIC), I get to assist in bringing education, networking, and engagement opportunities to our members (along with many other benefits and marketing opportunities). I am pleased to bring these experiences to you: the members of NYSTIA.

Years ago, when I was the new chair of the VIC, I was challenged to have a theme for my year of service to the organization. Back then, my theme was engagement; shining a light on all the wonderful things that members were doing together to forward their businesses. At NYSTIA my theme for the year will be “MEMBERSHIP - IT’S EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS”. I believe that the best advocates for NYSTIA membership are all of you- our current members. You are the ones who are benefitting from the educational opportunities, the networking and engagement opportunities, the marketing opportunities, and the advocacy for our industry. So I am asking all of you to bring NYSTIA’s message back to your corners of New York State and tell your community about all of the benefits that come with a NYSTIA membership. I ask you to invite your network to view the NYSTIA membership page. I ask you to invite them to the annual New York State Tourism Conference and the Tourism Excellence Summit.

I ask you to join me in growing NYSTIA membership together!"
- Greg LaDuca, NYSTIA Board Chair and Senior Vice President - Industry Relations at Visit Rochester

Learn more about NYSTIA membership: https://www.nystia.org/membership/membership-overview

19/09/2024

Thank you to the 250+ tourism industry professionals who joined us from across New York State, the USA, Canada, and Europe at the 2024 New York State Tourism Summit and NYS 250 Commemoration Summit in Saratoga Springs! We want to express our appreciation and gratitude to the many attendees, partners, and presenters who participated in the event. 🎉

We also extend our gratitude to our partners, presenters, Julie Tierney and the team at our host hotel, the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs, and our market host Discover Saratoga NY (thank you, Darryl Leggieri, MacKenzie Zarzycki & team!) for their hospitality and help throughout the planning and execution of the event. We would also like to thank New York State Historian Devin Lander (emcee) along with Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts, the Saratoga 250 Commission, Saratoga County NY Government and County Administrator Steve Bulger for hosting the NYS 250th Commemoration Summit on Wednesday. The program was packed with updates, briefings, case studies of collaboration, and insights from historians, NYS agencies, and tourism executives. We also would like to thank the team at Workshop for putting together the very fun Saratoga Stakes scavenger hunt and reception!

Thank you to our Tourism Summit presenting partners Miles Partnership (represented by Julie Armstrong) and rove (Sally Donovan) for their generous support of NYSTIA programming, as well as Bridget Cerrone representing Advance Media New York for hosting the fantastic 2024 NYS Tourism Excellence Awards Ceremony & Reception at the beautiful Canfield Casino. We would also be remiss to thank the NY International Travel Show for hosting the morning breakfast on Thursday, September 12.

Last but certainly not least, we would like to thank our colleagues at I LOVE NEW YORK/ Empire State Development in particular Ross Levi, Danae Jones-Persip, and Sara Emmert for their program contributions and our friends Richard Gagliano and Markly Wilson for joining us in Saratoga. A special shout out to David Alden Contreras Turley, who demonstrates incredible stewardship as our liaison with our colleagues at I LOVE NY/ESD.

We will send the slide decks and photos out as soon as they are all available, so please keep an eye out in your inbox!

11/09/2024

What an incredible day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration! From innovative case studies from destinations statewide to upcoming initiatives highlighting New York’s role in the American Revolution, today’s New York State 250 Commemoration Summit was a resounding success! 🇺🇸

We’re grateful to all who joined us in honoring the past and shaping the future. A big thank you to Saratoga County and the Saratoga 250 Commission for hosting this memorable event! Let’s keep this momentum going as we celebrate our shared history! We hope to see you on the 2 PM FAM tours and the 5 PM Saratoga Stakes scavenger hunt hosted by Workshop and co-hosted by ADARA

06/09/2024

🔔 Book your 1:1 Networking Sessions to meet, learn from, and engage with tourism professionals across the state and country at the 2024 NYSTIA Annual Meeting!

➡️ Book your sessions: https://bit.ly/4dVKyPo

"I’ve solved problems at the one-on-one sessions; There are a lot of sharp minds in there and—without the pressure of a sales pitch—it’s a relaxed way to get caught up, learn about something new, and see what else is out there. I actually look forward to them!" - Corey Fram, 1000 Islands International Tourism Council

"1:1s are a great way to discover emerging tech that helps us work smarter, not harder. They’re a no-pressure way for us to connect with solution providers outside of the typical workday when taking sales calls is challenging, at best. I leave with a menu of options from companies I already have a baseline level of trust in, knowing that NYSTIA has vetted them in advance." - Cassandra Harrington, Destination Marketing Corp.

03/09/2024

We can't wait to see you next week in Saratoga Springs for a historic 2024 NYSTIA Annual Meeting & New York State Tourism Excellence Awards! 🏆 Get ready for and make the most of your trip:

🇺🇸 Arriving Wednesday, September 12? Register to be a part of the FREE 250th Commemoration Summit packed with celebrations, remarks from state organizations, & more!

🚌 Choose between two FREE FAM Tours held on Wednesday afternoon after the 250th Commemoration Summit and explore the sights and attractions of Saratoga Springs! After, you're invited to join us on the first-ever "Saratoga Stakes" presented by Workshop.

🤝 Book your 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. Gain insights on the tools, strategies, and technology available to assist you in meeting your destination marketing and management goals in 2024 and beyond!

🍽️ Make dinner reservations for Wednesday & Thursday evenings in Saratoga Springs! Check out the list of restaurants and bars provided by Discover Saratoga and start planning your culinary exploration through this historic city.

Sep 3, 2024 Back to Industry News Become a Member Join us on our journey to shape a better future for New York State's communities and residents! We can't wait to see you next week in Saratoga Springs for a historic 2024 NYSTIA Annual Meeting & New York State Tourism Excellence Awards! Get ready for...

31/08/2024

Day 10 of we had Kaytlynn Lynch with , Nancy Ragus with the and Linda Forsythe with . They talked to fairgoers about the great places to explore in central New York, along Lake Ontario and attractions across the state on the New York Fiber Trail!

30/08/2024

On day 9 of the Patti Rose with was in the booth with us. She discussed Canandaigua, Geneva, and the northern Finger Lakes with fairgoers.

30/08/2024

🗣️ 250 Commemoration Summit Speaker Announcement:

Join us Wednesday morning at the 250 Commemoration Summit to hear Melaine Rottkamp, CDME, President & CEO at Tourism, Inc., Thomas Mooney, Principle & Chief Creative at FourthIdea and William P Tatum III, Dutchess County Historian present how Dutchess County created a big impact with "Tiny George."

➡️ https://bit.ly/4g71qUD

Launched Presidents’ Day weekend, Dutchess County’s Commander-in-Cheers program is quite literally ‘Revolutionary’. Delivered through QR codes on coasters in taverns, tasting rooms and restaurants, a tiny hologram of George Washington himself appears to tell tales of Dutchess County’s role in the revolution. This innovative augmented reality initiative created by Dutchess Tourism working closely with the Dutchess County Historian, the creative minds at FourthIdea and tech experts Evercoast, sparked excitement and new engagement with the county’s Revolutionary War history.

29/08/2024

Day 8 of the we had Kelly Jordal, Jen Longley, and Savannah Wycoff with who talked to fairgoers about Oswego County and the Thousand Islands-Seaway region. Pam Renfro with also joined us to discuss the Fiber Trail across New York State.

28/08/2024

Day 7 of The Great New York State Fair we had Patrick Keyes with Rainbow Air Inc. and Sarah Braddon with Visit Finger Lakes. They discussed touring Niagara Falls via helicopter and the great destinations in the Finger Lakes with fairgoers.

28/08/2024

"I’m excited to share that Advance Media New York will once again be the presenting sponsor of the 2024 NYSTIA Annual Meeting & New York State Tourism Excellence Awards in picturesque Saratoga Springs, NY!

The Tourism Excellence Awards celebrate the most creative and successful campaigns, publications, individuals, and projects from across the state. This event always inspires us to strive for excellence, adopt best practices, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our team at Advance Media NY, a full-service advertising and marketing agency, applauds all organizations who submitted entries for the awards. Our friends and clients across the state have done amazing work and Advance Media NY will showcase the winners in a video tribute produced by our award-winning creative team at the Tourism Excellence Awards ceremony on September 12.

The annual meeting is the premier event for gaining industry insights and inspiration. It’s a fantastic opportunity to network with some of the brightest minds, most experienced professionals, and trendsetting thought leaders in the tourism industry. New York Tourism organizations truly bring their best to this event.

This September, treat yourself to a visit to Saratoga Springs, where history, arts, culture, and natural beauty await you. Join me and be inspired by the innovative and highly successful Tourism Excellence Award recipients. Don’t miss out!"

- Bridget Cerrone
Senior Travel Marketing Strategist
Advance Media New York

We're thrilled to announce, that after consulting with the NYSTIA Events Committee and Tourism Excellence Awards Committee, the 2024 NYS Tourism Excellence Awards Ceremony & Reception will be held at the iconic and beautiful Canfield Casino, nestled in the heart of Congress Park!