Jul 30, 2026
2026 NYS Tourism Excellence Awards Honoree: Tourism Equity & Inclusion
The Power of Comedy: Reimagining the Visitor Experience Through Inclusion
What if the measure of a tourism attraction isn't just the visitors it welcomes, but the lives it improves? Join us on Thursday morning in Corning at the 2026 NYS Tourism Excellence Summit where Gary Hahn, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at The National Comedy Center, will share how they transformed an existing museum experience into an award-winning Memory Café for those with memory loss and their caregiver. Recognized with two Gold Anthem Awards—among the world's highest honors for social impact—and now a New York State Tourism Excellence Award, the program demonstrates how cultural attractions can create more welcoming, inclusive, and impactful visitor experiences that strengthen both your destination and your community.
Why You Should Attend This Session:
- See how one tourism attraction transformed an existing visitor experience into an internationally recognized model for inclusion.
- Take away practical ideas you can adapt to make your own attraction more welcoming, accessible, and community-centered.
- Discover how serving your community can also strengthen your destination, partnerships, and visitor experience.
Key Takeaways:
- How listening to visitors can inspire innovative, more inclusive experiences that better serve both residents and travelers.
- Practical strategies for reimagining existing attractions to serve new audiences without creating entirely new programs or facilities.
- Why tourism attractions can become powerful community assets while strengthening the visitor experience, accessibility, and inclusion.
About Gary:
Gary Hahn is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum, where he leads marketing, branding, public relations, group sales and partnerships. Throughout his career, he has held senior marketing leadership roles across major media companies and iconic cultural destinations, including Warner Bros., SiriusXM, and Elvis Presley’s Graceland.
He specializes in launching new brands and revitalizing iconic entertainment and cultural destinations at the intersection of entertainment, pop culture, and emerging technology. Over his career, Hahn has led public relations and brand strategy for legendary figures such as Elvis Presley and Lucille Ball—and even Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes.
About The National Comedy Center:
The National Comedy Center is the United States’ cultural institution, museum and national archive dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy and preserving its heritage for future generations. Through immersive exhibits, personalized interactive experiences, and world-class collections, the museum celebrates comedy's great minds and unique voices, and the time-honed creative processes that have elevated comedy to an art form.