January 28 | 9:15-9:45 AM | Free | Register Now
An Exclusive Look at the Digital Maturity of Tourism Businesses in New York State with Wheresight
| Join us this Wednesday for an engaging and timely webinar exploring how destinations and tourism organizations can strengthen their digital presence in an increasingly competitive landscape. Laughlin Rigby, Director of AI & Digital Transformation, and Karl Llewellyn, International Commercial Director at Wheresight, will share expert insights and real-world examples to help you better understand where your organization stands and where it can go next. Register Now | | January 21 Webinar Recap: For those of you who missed last week's Wednesday Webinar The Catskills: Turning Data into Destination Growth with Sally Donovan and Jamie Mageau of Rove, you can access the full recording and slide deck here. | | | Share An Untold Story from Your Destination | | |
The DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion) Committee has launched a special America 250 initiative called NY250: Untold Stories. This project is dedicated to uncovering, preserving, and uplifting the diverse, often overlooked, and historically marginalized stories that make New York State so extraordinary. By sharing these narratives, we aim to enrich our tourism landscape with greater inclusion, authenticity, and deeper understanding—ensuring that every corner of the state is represented and celebrated.
The goal is to collect 250 untold stories in the coming months, and we can’t do it without your help! We invite you to contribute an untold story. You’ll also find examples of stories that have already been submitted to inspire you.
Thank you for helping us honor New York’s full and vibrant history—and for being part of this meaningful statewide effort!
| |
- Olga Luz Tirado, NYSTIA DEAI Committee Co-Chair, Founder & President, O Communications & Solutions
- Nigar Hale, NYSTIA DEAI Committee Co-Chair, Executive Director, Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce
| | Travel Show Recap: New York City Travel & Adventure Show and AAA Pittsburgh Travel Showcase | |
Over the weekend, your Tourism Champions booth was at the New York City Travel & Adventure Show (joined by the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, Destination Dutchess, Ulster County Tourism, Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council (with representatives from Visit Ithaca and Tour Cayuga), Orange County Tourism, Visit Seneca Nation, The Adirondack Coast, and the Cove at Sylvan Beach) and at the AAA Pittsburgh Travel Showcase (huge thank you to Mike Hudson and Ann Smith from Tour Chautauqua for helping us staff the booth!)...
Continue Reading
| | |
⚖️ Advocacy Matters to You |
| |
-
As you may already be aware, The Department of Environmental Conservation implemented a ban on small personal care bottles in NYS hotels, motels, inns, etc. The NYS Small Business Environmental Support Office created a advisory on their website for associations to share this information with their members, as well as a notice for you to share with your members.
-
On February 9th, the NYSTIA Advocacy Committee will host the first of quarterly Advocacy 'Open Floor' Sessions, inviting members from across the state to come together for candid, peer-to-peer conversations about advocacy and legislation affecting New York’s tourism industry. Learn More & Register
| | New Member Introduction: Rich Michael Jean Baptiste from Transpovia Inc. | |
Please welcome Rich Michel Jean Baptiste, President and Founder of Transpovia Inc., to the NYSTIA Community! Transpovia Inc. is an international airport transfer and ground transport service operating across various geographies, whose goal is providing a reliable...
Meet Rich
| | | Visit Buffalo Launches New Multimillion Dollar Campaign and Brand Initiative | |
In September, Visit Buffalo unveiled a multimillion-dollar tourism brand and marketing campaign aimed at reshaping the city’s image, expanding the local tourism economy, attracting new visitors from across the country and encouraging more media coverage from the press...
Continue Reading
| | | The 'February 15-Miler' Challenge is Back! | |
Get outside, get some fresh air, and get active this February with the FEBRUARY 15-Miler Canalway Challenge. Start your Challenge February 1st; finish by the end of the month. Log miles anywhere in the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, including parks, trails, communities and residential neighborhoods...
Continue Reading
| | | Upcoming Webinar: NYS Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law is Expanding | Join DEC for a webinar on January 28, 2026 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM to hear updates on the implementation of the NYS Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling law and learn about the expansion of the law set for 2027 and 2029. | | | Vote for the Strong National Museum of Play as Best Museum! | |
USA Today has nominated The Strong as the “Best Children’s Museum” and “Best Pop Culture Museum” in the nation. Show your support! You can vote daily through February 9.
Vote Now
| | | | |
Wednesday Webinar: An Exclusive Look at the Digital Maturity of Tourism Businesses in NYS
Webinar | Wheresight | January 28
Register Now
| | | |
NYS Food Donation & Food Scraps Recycling Law is Expanding
Webinar | NYS DEC | January 28
Learn More
| | | |
Retirement Celebration in Honor of Carol Eaton
Event | Visit Syracuse | February 5
Learn More
| | NEW DATES for 2026: Times Union Travel Monthly Newsletter | |
Would you like to start driving on average 500-700 new clicks to your website every month? The monthly Hearst Media and Albany Times Union newsletter provides informative content, news, tips, and insights on regional travel for their engaged community of readers who enjoy travel! Their email marketing solution offers one of the largest, most comprehensive databases in the marketplace today, containing more than 300 available selects and over 134 million unique email records.
Learn More & Sign Up
| | | DiscoverUpstateNY.com - NEW America 250 Program - $350 per Attraction | |
DiscoverUpstateNY.com, the premier travel website for Upstate New York, offers several high-impact co-op opportunities to showcase your America 250 attractions and events. Purchase a $350 Homepage Attraction/Event unit for 12 months and gain added placement under the America 250 tab, placing your offerings directly before travelers seeking authentic, history-rich experiences across Upstate New York destinations.
Reach out to Madelyn Roberts/MAR Media 516-662-9555 / madelyn.roberts1@gmail.com / Learn More
| | | There are no new job postings this week, however you can always check our careers board for open listings. Or, share your organization's job posting: Submit Here. | | Thank you to our Partnership Community! | | | | |
WHAT WE DO:
We assist our members in advancing responsible, sustainable economic growth, local job creation, small business success and increased vitality in our destination communities by realizing the potential of New York State's tourism industry.
| | | | | |
