NYSTC24 FAM Tour: Transformations! Curated & Hosted by Destination Niagara USA

Destination Niagara USA and NYSTIA invite you to join your tourism colleagues and explore Niagara Falls USA’s iconic attractions! Prepare for an adventure as we visit three unique destination sites that have transformed over the years, enhancing the overall experience for visitors and locals alike. Afterward, enjoy a reception at the Niagara Falls Convention Center and savor the local flavors of Western New York—from pizza to pierogies, and everything in between!

Bus departs at 2 PM on Tuesday, April 16 for an unforgettable experience visiting:

• Cave of the Winds
• Aquarium of Niagara
• Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
• Reception at the Niagara Falls Convention Center

Ticket: $65.00 (includes round-trip bus transportation, guided tours, admission to all venues, light fare, and two (2) drink tickets!)

Learn More & Sign Up - Space is limited!

One-on-One Networking Sessions:

Book Your Time Slots Now!

Meet solution providers, get acquainted with their services, and discuss your destination's needs! This highly-anticipation portion of the Conference is back with more opportunities than ever. Book Your Sessions

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

Next Lunch & Learn Webinar:

Moneyball: Rethinking Your Social Media Game to Score Consistent Wins

What if you could know a little bit more about your everyday social media game? Channeling his inner Brad Pitt, Chris Parsons, Director of Social Media at Workshop, recognizes an imperfect understanding of where successful social media content comes from and shares lessons around Workshop’s results-driven method in “Moneyball: Rethinking Your Social Media Game to Score Consistent Wins.”

A more perfect understanding? For small-budget baseball teams, Moneyball demystified professional baseball by uncovering valuable insights in an analytics-rich sport that unlocked game-changing lineup decisions. Join Chris to see how your destination marketing team can take the guesswork out of social media efforts by applying Moneyball principles that uncover abundant data and enable game-changing content choices. Register Now

When: Wednesday, March 20 at 12:00 pm E.T.

Cost: Free!

Please share this invite! The NYSTIA Lunch & Learn Webinars are open to all NYSTIA members and their guests. Register Now

RECAP: Navigating the 2024 Media Landscape: Collaborative Marketing Strategies for Destinations & Attractions

During last week's Lunch & Learn Webinar, Seth Orozco from Sojern, took us through their recent findings from their latest research: "State of Destination Marketing 2024: A Global Overview of the State of Digital Marketing for Destinations in 2024" made in collaboration with Digital Tourism Think Tank, Brand USA, Travel Canada, and ETC.

Read the Full Recap

Last weekend, NYSTIA attended the Adirondack Sports Summer Expo, a two-day show at the Saratoga Springs City Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. We were surrounded by many of our New York State Tourism partners.

Our booth was very popular due to the many guides and information we offered. Also, due to the look of the booth, the local news station chose to do interviews about the expo in front of our booth because of how our backdrop looked...

Read the Full Recap

Please welcome Sarah Walters, currently a senior at Niagara University, and recently onboarded as the NYSTIA intern! Sarah is majoring in Tourism Destination and Event Management with a minor in Communication. At Niagara, she is the Vice-President of the Hospitality and Tourism Association and a member of Club Management Association of America, and the African Caribbean Student Alliance. 

Meet Sarah

• Key Issue Talking Points: NYSHTA's 2024 Tourism Advocacy Day one-pager. The comprehensive document highlights their main budget and legislative priorities for 2024 on short-term rentals, the COVID sick leave law, ADA website legislation, and more.

You can access NYSTIA's Advocacy Action Center anytime to View Key Legislation and contact your elected representatives.

On Wednesday, April 10, the NYS Canal Corporation will convene two engaging panels to discuss “Accessible Recreation on the Canalway,” at the Brighton Campus of SUNY Monroe Community College in Rochester. New York Chief Disability Officer Kim Hill will deliver the keynote address and moderate the first panel discussion. 

They welcome municipal leaders, community planners and developers, and providers to discover new ways to enjoy the canalway while ensuring accessibility for all!

Register Now

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos has announced the start of the 2024 ‘I BIRD NY’ Challenge for birders of all ages and abilities. The challenge provides opportunities to identify birds and learn about birdlife and awards program finishers with a commemorative I BIRD NY Challenge patch and the chance to win birding equipment.

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Kaitie Burger is the Director of Destination Strategy at Madden Media, where she serves as the lead point of contact for clients in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. Along with Madden's team of cross-functional destination marketing experts, Kaitie helps to oversee all client strategy ranging from media to public relations, website development, creative services, influencer management, and more.



Meet Katie

Please welcome John Sicinski, Executive Vice President at Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls, NY to the NYSTIA Community! The Maid of the Mist Corporation, located in Niagara Falls, NY has been providing America’s most monumental boat rides since 1846. Providing a memorable, family friendly and affordable experience to more than a million customers per year, this family-owned business provides an up-close experience to one of the wonders of the world.

Meet John

Tourism leaders across south-central New York are announcing the name of a new water trail being developed to attract visitors to eight counties along the Chemung and Susquehanna Rivers. The New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail (NYSBWT) is a conceptual trail, stretching 190 miles from Cooperstown to Corning. While encouraging healthy and responsible recreation, the new project seeks to spur environmental stewardship and economic growth along the riverfront and nearby communities. 

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Outdoor travel is the #1 travel trend! Be a part of the June/July issue of ROVA Magazine's 'I Love NY'-Branded 'Epic Summer Road Trips & NYS Wineries' NYSTIA Co-Op Section for special issue content and added value!

Each participant receives multimedia exposure on rovamag.com with a banner and those with a 1/4 page or larger can submit a blog to share their destination's story for the section theme(s)!

Learn More & Sign Up

This coming June, we are thrilled to introduce our inaugural America’s 250th Special Section, an exclusive editorial that will capture the essence of this historic event. By participating in our America’s 250th Special Section, you’re ahead of the curve.  Be among the first to capture the interest of tour planners as they start to create itineraries. We will also have a webpage dedicated to America 250th on our Leisuregrouptravel.com website, where your ad will be featured with promotion via our newsletter and social media. Space closes April 15th!

Learn More & Sign Up!

No new job postings have been submitted this week, but be sure to view the open positions on our NYS Tourism Careers Page.

Take the Tourism Advocacy Survey | Share your DEAI Case Study

Take the New DEAI Survey | 2024 Tourism Champions Agreement |

Submit a Workshop Proposal | 2024 Travel Show Schedule

WHAT WE DO TOGETHER:

Advancing responsible, sustainable economic growth, community revitalization, small business success, job creation, quality of life and pride of place by realizing the potential of New York State's tourism industry and facilitating the success of NYSTIA members.