Mar 9, 2023
Jean Mackay, Director of Communications and Outreach at the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, will speak on New York's canals and inland waterways on Thursday afternoon as part of the 'NYS: The Best of America's Great Outdoors!' panel at the 2023 NYS Tourism Conference. In particular, Jean will speak on the many tourism initiatives along the NYS Canal System with a look at where they are now, and where they are headed.
On the cusp of celebrating the Erie Canal’s bicentennial in 2025, now is the time to capitalize on the wealth of recreational opportunities, historic sites, museums, small-town charm, and regional cuisine that together create “The Canal Experience!”
Key Takeaways:
- Strengthen your canal connections and get ready to welcome an increasing number of canal travelers from around the world.
- Promote the experience. The canal provides a multilayered tourism experience. It is a place of discovery where outdoor recreation, including boating, cycling, paddling, hiking, and fishing, take center stage within the unique context of the canal’s historic impact on New York and the Nation.
- Take advantage of the bicentennial. The Erie Canal Bicentennial in 2025 presents prime opportunities to garner attention for canal tourism experiences.
Register now for the 2023 NYS Tourism Conference!
About Jean:
Jean Mackay has served as the Director of Communications and Outreach for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor since 2007. She works collaboratively with federal, state, and local agencies and organizations throughout the 500-mile-long National Heritage Corridor to preserve canal heritage, promote tourism, and foster vibrant communities along the waterway. Jean is responsible for developing and implementing communications, marketing, and special programs. In her “other life,” she is a passionate naturalist and watercolor artist, who teaches locally and nationally.
Jean McKay
Director of Communications and Outreach
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
518-237-7000
About the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Two hundred years after its opening, the Erie Canal remains an iconic symbol of American ingenuity and determination. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor works to preserve the Nation’s extraordinary canal heritage, promote the Corridor as a world-class tourism destination, and foster vibrant communities connected by more than 500 miles of waterway. It achieves its mission in partnership with the National Park Service, New York State agencies, non-profit organizations, local residents, and more than 200 communities across the full expanse of upstate New York. www.eriecanalway.org