Sep 4, 2025
Green Hearts, Blue Minds and Dream Boats
2025 NYS Tourism Excellence Awards Honoree: Excellence in Sustainable Tourism: Champions of Change
Join us on Thursday morning in Lake George at the 2025 NYS Tourism Excellence Summit where Astrid Jirka, Director of Tourism Initiatives at Discover Cayuga Lake, will share how we can all take a role in working towards a sustainable tourism industry in New York State. DCL will present their work in the context of their NYSTIA Sustainable Tourism Award and share their dreams of having a ‘green boat’ and an alternative energy boat fleet in New York State.
It’s a unique opportunity to learn from DCL's challenges and successes, inspiring your own efforts in sustainability. Hearing their firsthand experience can provide practical strategies and motivation to make a positive impact in your community.
Why You Should Attend This Session:
- Learn the 5 Ps of Sustainable Tourism
- Consider alternative energy sources to power NYS Tourism’s needs
- Discover your Green Heart and Blue Mind
Key Takeaways:
- Best Practices for working towards an eco-tourism model
- Ideas for greening your business or organization
- Visions of Dream Boats and Sustainable Tourism in NYS
About Astrid:
Astrid Jirka is the current Director of Tourism Initiatives for Discover Cayuga Lake. She’s been working in the fields of sustainable tourism, eco-tourism, conservation and sustainability education for the past 30 years in various capacities ranging from guiding eco-tours in the US Virgin Islands, teaching eco-tourism courses at Ithaca College, promoting academic study abroad programs, and most recently developing and overseeing DCL’s eco-tourism based programs.
NYSTIA Bio: https://www.nystia.org/news/new-member-introduction-astrid-jirka-from-discover-cayuga-lake
Discover Cayuga Lake is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to cultivate informed and equitable relationships between people and watersheds, with an emphasis on the Finger Lakes. DCL works toward this mission by offering a variety of narrated cruises for visitors, by hosting specialized cruise programs for locals, and by providing educational programs for local children.