News

Last week’s Wednesday Webinar featured Jackie Saunders from Tiki, who explored how destinations can embrace artificial intelligence while keeping inspiration, storytelling, and human connection at the center of tourism marketing. Jackie began by tracing AI’s long history in the travel…

Join us on Wednesday December 3rd at 9:15 AM for our Wednesday Webinar presentation from Erica Schneider from Park & Trails NY to learn about the Empire State Trail! Parks & Trails New York will provide an overview of their successful Empire State Trail Town program that helps communities identify…

New Business Center, Children’s Play Area and Multi-Sensory Room To Enhance Airport Experience for Travelers To and From the Capital Region Comprehensive Modernization Reflects Governor Hochul’s Commitment To Creating 21st Century Transportation Infrastructure That Supports Economic…

Join us on Wednesday November 26th at 9:15 AM for our Wednesday Webinar presentation from Josiah Brown from New York's Best Experiences to learn about Advocacy Planning! Who wants to talk about Advocacy on Thanksgiving week?? The Sherpa...duh...(that should have been more obvious). Join the Sherpa…

Malta, NY — Campground Owners of New York and Camp New York are thrilled to announce the winners of the first-ever Best of Camp New York Awards, a celebration honoring exceptional campgrounds as chosen by the people who know them best — the campers! Voted on by campers during the 2025 camping…

Join us on Wednesday November 19th at 9:15 AM for our Wednesday Webinar presentation with Zartico and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB to learn about destination strategy! No two destinations are alike, and neither are the strategies that drive results—so how do you identify…

Join us on Wednesday November 12th at 9:15 AM for our Wednesday Webinar presentation from Brent Foerster from Tempest to learn about Group Pace reporting! Group Pace(GP) and Same Time Last Year (STLY) reporting are valuable tools that can be used by any DMO to make better sales decisions,…

NIAGARA FALLS, NY - October 31, 2025 - The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) has named "Niagara Virtual,” the exciting and gamified Virtual Reality (VR) adventure at Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours’ new home in Niagara Falls, as a finalist for the…

Join us on Wednesday November 5th at 9:15 AM for our Wednesday Webinar presentation from Jackie Saunders from Tiki to hear about going back to the roots of the tourism industry! Somewhere along the way, our industry’s compass shifted. We became obsessed with transactions, conversions, and…

Wappinger’s Falls, NY—Content Studio New York’s annual, full-color-glossy, national, award-winning magazine, New York by Rail, has been credited with successfully promoting New York State tourism and, thereby, helping to significantly boost the state’s economy. The…

Are you ready to have fun, make meaningful connections, and support the next generation of tourism professionals? Join the 2026 Scholarship Auction Committee and be part of something truly special! As a committee member, you'll collaborate with colleagues across New York State’s 11 tourism regions…

This week’s Wednesday Webinar featured Kyle Pierce and Lydia Ireland from STQRY, along with Jessica VanDeMar from the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, who shared their exciting work bringing Ontario County’s history to life through the Finger Lakes Virtual Museum. The project combines physical…

This week’s Wednesday Webinar featured Darby Racey and Alyson Danielewicz from the New York Power Authority/NYS Canal Corporation , who shared their work making recreation along New York’s canal system more inclusive and accessible for all. The On the Canals program, launched in 2020,…

Real Travel. Real Buyers. Real ROI. Why 2026 Will Be Your Biggest Year Yet. After more than two decades and over 120 Travel & Adventure Shows, one fact remains unchanged — face-to-face always beats digital. You can pour money into clicks, impressions, or boosted posts. But nothing replaces…

Join us on Wednesday October 29th at 9:15 AM for our Wednesday Webinar presentation from Kyle Pierce from STQRY to learn practical insights into designing and building your own captivating virtual experiences! This webinar will showcase how STQRY was leveraged to create the Finger Lakes Virtual…

On Sunday, Brooke Wilson traveled east to promote New York State destinations at the Dream Destinations Fall & Winter Travel Show in Springfield, Massachusetts, engaging with a steady stream of New England travel intenders eager to explore the Empire State. Huge thank you to Steve Fox and the…

In previous presentations and webinars on this topic, Rove shared survey findings from Leger, a Canadian firm specializing in travel and tourism research. Their initial May study explored Canadian attitudes toward U.S. travel. Leger has now completed a follow-up Fall study, providing a more…

At a Press Event held in Rensselaer today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced several passenger-friendly initiatives for the Empire Corridor. ESPA President Gary Prophet was an invited guest at the event. Highlights: Amtrak is restoring trains #235 & #238 between Albany & New York Penn Station…

Your New York State Tourism Champions booth was at the AAA Cleveland Vacation Expo, held at the Embassy Suites Cleveland Rockside on Sunday, October 19th.  The expo had a good mix of families and retirees looking to plan their next vacation.  We saw good traffic in the booth from expo…

PENN YAN, NY, October 16, 2025 — 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…