Apr 22, 2026
Cass Martin Majestic, Event Co-Chair
I didn't get to travel much as a kid. But today, I can confidently credit travel for the empathy I’ve developed throughout my life. Every trip I take changes my world view - sometimes just a little, and sometimes a whole lot.
Good afternoon, as Bob said I am the “newly minted” Cassandra Martin Majestic, but y’all can call me “Cooperstown Cass”. I have the privilege of being this year’s Board Chair for the New York State Tourism Industry Association. My team and I RUN DMC, or Destination Marketing Corporation, the tourism promotion agency for both Otsego and Schoharie Counties here in the Central New York Vacation Region.
I am delighted to welcome you to the largest yet New York State Tourism Conference.
We often say we’re lucky to have found ourselves careers in an industry that not only promotes travel, but also allows us to see different parts of the world. Not everyone is afforded that luxury. For some, travel may only be a once-a-year thing.
But it’s more than luck. It’s a responsibility. Because travel isn’t just a luxury; for many, it’s a way to learn and to understand people who are nothing like them.
We have the opportunity to showcase our communities and our attractions to those visiting families, friends groups, or business travelers.
The empathy I referenced doesn't just change how I see the world; it changes how I lead my team. Like many of you, I get frustrated if we miss a deadline. I have had to remind my team-and myself- that we are not performing brain surgery.
So for us to miss our self-imposed deadlines… It's not an emergency situation. But while we might not be in the operating room, we are profoundly impacting the lives of our visitors. This year, that impact is more vital than ever.
New York is seeing a 20% drop in visitation from our largest trading partner and friends to the north, Canada, and a general cooling of international arrivals due to global trade policies and tariffs.
Our 'Game Plan for the Future' has to account for a world that is less predictable than it was a decade ago. We can't just count heads; we have to make the heads we count truly matter. When international borders feel more like barriers, our job is to ensure that the local museum, the ball parks, or the small-town main street provides a level of human connection that transcends a trade policy.
People are coming to New York not just to see a landmark, but to see a version of themselves they haven’t yet met. That’s why our Game Plan for the Future isn’t about recovery, it’s about evolution. It’s about pivoting from a volume-based industry to a value-based one.
We provide the setting for transformation.
Perhaps your community looks vastly different from the one they’re used to. That alone, provides me with assurance that what we’re doing makes a difference.
Maybe you’re hosting a first time solo traveler and the tools you provide allows for ease of travel and an opportunity to build self-confidence.
Maybe your diverse community offers a queer child their first glimpse at people like themselves.
Maybe your accessible attraction gives someone with mobility challenges the chance to play alongside ALL of their peers.
Or maybe your museum ignites a passion inside an unsuspecting visitor who becomes an fervent environmentalist.
We are the architects of those moments. Tourism is a mechanism for self-discovery and personal growth. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that we’re simply providing an escape from the daily grind. And while we do that, we do so much more.
We have the ability to impact the lives of everyone who steps through the gates, who stops into the visitor center, who discovers the quirky bookstore, who connects with the friendly waitstaff, or who adds a rare bird to their life list.
So, as we build our collective Game Plan for the Future, let’s ensure our plan is rooted in transformation. I implore you to reframe our industry.
Let’s move from a narrative of escapism to one of evolution.
Cass Martin Majestic, 2026 NYSTC Event Co-Chair
President & CEO, Destination Marketing Corp. serving Otsego & Schoharie Counties, New York
Chair of the Board, New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA)