October 21, 2025

Your Tourism Champions Booth Visits Two States in One Day!

Over the weekend, your Tourism Champions Booth was on display in two states, inspiring travelers in Ohio and Massachusetts to plan their next getaway to the Empire State! We continue to improve the booth appearance, features and visitor engagement. Show promoters are now proactively positioning New York in high profile locations because the booth adds visual appeal as attendees arrive at their event.

Nate Gresock headed west to represent New York destinations at the AAA Cleveland Vacation Expo on Sunday, October 19th. He reported a great mix of families and retirees eager to plan their next vacation. Attendees were impressed with the wealth of information on New York State's diverse destinations, with many in particular looking for scenic train rides! Read Nate's full recap

Meanwhile, Brooke Wilson journeyed east to promote your destinations at the Dream Destinations Fall & Winter Travel Show in Springfield Massachusetts, where she met with a steady stream of New England travel intenders interested in exploring nearby New York. We are especially grateful for the help provided by Michelyne (Misty) Tarbell from Akwesasne Travel, who joined Brooke in the booth. Read Brooke's full recap

Is your destination registered for the 2026 Tourism Champions Program? We'd love to have your guides travel across the Northeast with us!

Join the 2026 Tourism Champion Community

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In This Newsletter:

Issue Feature:

- Tourism Champions on the Road

- Upcoming Wednesday Webinar & Last Week's Recap

Advocacy:

- Canadian & U.S. Traveler Behavior & Sentiment: Fall Update

- Hudson Valley Service Improvements

Member News:

- Erie Canal Featured in Bloomberg News

- The Adirondack Rail Trail is Complete

- Finger Lakes Named 2025 American Wine Region of the Year

- NYS Agritourism Conference

- NYS Canal Infrastructure and Event Grants

Events:

- Wednesday Webinar

- Government Experience Virtual Summit

Featured Co-Ops:

- Holiday/PTO Marketing Initiative

- AARP February 2026 NYS Travel Feature

Careers:

- Visitor Experience Manager, NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center

Sign Up! Using PTO to Power Tourism in Your Destination with Take Off New York Campaign

On Friday, October 3rd, tourism professionals across NYS got together virtually for the official 'Take Off New York campaign briefing. In case you missed it, you can watch the video recording here.

We need your help in spreading the word! Sign up to receive your free assets, developed by the team at FOURTHIDEA to encourage New Yorkers to use their remaining 2025 PTO to explore your destination. Sign Up Now

Pro-bono campaign developed by FOURTHIDEA for NYSTIA members

Tomorrow:

October 22 | 9:15-9:45 AM | Free | Register Now

Accessible Recreation on the Canalway

Learn about strategies for removing obstacles toward providing inclusive recreation

Explore What’s New on the Canals! Join us Wednesday, October 22 at 9:15 AM for our next Wednesday Webinar featuring Darby Racey from New York Power Authority/NYS Canal Corporation. Get the latest updates on the On the Canals program and the exciting developments on the Accessibility Education Program, which is opening up new opportunities for inclusive recreation across New York State. Register Now for Free

Oct. 15 Webinar Recap: For those of you who miss last week's Wednesday Webinar The Soul of the Story: Keeping Human Imagination at the Heart of AI-Driven Campaigns with Kayla Lloyd from BBG&G Integrated Marketing, you can access the full recording and slide deck here.

⚖️ Advocacy Matters to You

All Advocacy

Canadian & U.S. Travel Sentiment & Behavior

Fall Survey 2025 Update

In previous presentations and webinars, Rove shared survey findings from Leger, a Canadian firm specializing in travel and tourism research. Their May study explored Canadian attitudes toward U.S. travel, and a new Fall study now compares summer travel intentions with actual trips taken.

Continue Reading | View the Report

Governor Hochul Announces Hudson Valley Service Improvements

At a press event in Rensselaer, Governor Kathy Hochul announced new passenger-friendly initiatives for the Empire Corridor. Highlights include Amtrak restoring trains #235 & #238 between Albany and New York starting December 1, and resuming Albany-Boston service on the Lake Shore Limited. Beginning...

Industry News:

All News

Erie Canal Featured in Bloomberg News

Featured in Bloomberg News, New York State’s iconic Erie Canal is celebrated in a special article by Timothy A. Schuler, “The Long Comeback of the Erie Canal.” The piece highlights one of America’s first major public works projects as it marks its 200th anniversary...

Continue Reading on Bloomberg.com

The Adirondack Rail Trail is Complete

Parks & Trails New York has recently announced that the Adirondack Rail Trail is open from end to end. This trail isn’t just a line on the map, it’s a new way for people to experience the Adirondacks, connect with communities, and discover the region’s natural beauty in every season.

Finger Lakes Named Wine Enthusiast's 2025 American Wine Region of the Year

The Finger Lakes is the Wine Enthusiast’s 2025 Wine Star Award American Wine Region of the Year, honoring two centuries of innovation, sustainability, and cool-climate excellence. This Wine Star Award recognizes the Finger Lakes’ legacy as one of America’s....

New York State Agritourism Conference

Nov. 10-11, 2025

You're invited to the first-ever New York State Agritourism Conference! Located in Saratoga Springs and hosted by the CCE Agritourism Program Work Team, this 2-day event is designed to support farms in growing successful visitor experiences. This statewide gathering will feature expert-led sessions, peer networking...

Learn More & Register

Apply Now! 2026 NYS Canal System Tourism Infrastructure and Event Grants

The New York State Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor are offering competitive grant funding to support tourism, recreation, and events along the New York State Canal System including canal waterways and Canalway Trail...

Learn More & Apply - Apply through November 21, 2025

Events & Webinars:

All Events

Accessible Recreation on the Canalway

Wednesday Webinar | NYS Canal Corporation | October 23

Learn More & Register

Government Experience Virtual Summit

Webinar | Granicus | October 22

Learn More & Register

Featured Co-Ops:

All Co-Ops

NEW: 2025 Holiday/PTO Multimedia Marketing Initiative

Invite New Yorkers to use their PTO exploring your destination this holiday season! Whether it’s shopping weekends, family visits, or snowy getaways, Advance Travel & Tourism and NYSTIA will help you reach travel-ready audiences across the state.

With data-driven targeting, digital display, video, and social campaigns, we’ll get your message in front of the right people. Campaigns run up to 60 days and must wrap by December 31, 2025—don’t miss this chance to boost winter visitation!

Learn More & Sign Up - Reserve by October 31, 2025

AARP February 2026 NYS Travel Feature

The NYSTIA February 2026 AARP Co-Op feature will appear in the AARP Mid-Atlantic Region (NY, PA, NJ) to target 2026 Spring and Summer travel intenders. The 2025 feature generated over 2,500 leads/requests for literature.

The issue will offer some compelling benefits targeting age 50-59 'active & adventurous' audience, advertisers will receive matching space for advertorial content, and the issue will offer reader service lead generation, delivering thousands of contacts!

Learn More & Sign Up - Reserve by October 29, 2025

Job Postings

All Jobs

No new job postings have been shared, but please see our Careers Page for all current listings.

Become a Member | Join the Partnership Community

Volu nteer at a 2025 Travel Show | Submit a Workshop Proposal

Be a 2026 Tourism Champion | Take Off, New York!

Thank you to our 2025 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.