News

We want to again say thank you to the presenters and members who joined us each week for our inaugural Wednesday Lunch & Learn webinar series! From AI to social media, earned media to advocacy, a wide range of topics were covered for during these weekly lunchtime breaks.  Below you'll find the…

Governor Kathy Hochul today encouraged New York residents and visitors to start summer early by visiting a State Park, beach or Historic Site this Memorial Day weekend. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) is celebrating the New York State Parks…

WATERFORD - As the NYS Canal System opens for the season, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is calling for entries for its annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest. Amateur and professional photographers are invited to submit up to three images that capture the canals’ beauty, vibrancy,…

Stacey Toussaint is the Managing Director and founder of Inside Out Tours. Inside Out Tours are proud to be a certified women and minority-owned business, with accolades including features in BBC, ABC News, NBC, The New York Times, and TripAdvisors' Hall of Fame in 2023. For over a decade, they have…

Michael Fiorentino is the President and owner of Rev Up Consulting. At Rev Up Consulting, they provide sales solutions for destinations, free standing event facilities, hotels and colleges/universities. As well, they build new business opportunities as an over-lay organization driving sponsor and…

During last week's Lunch and Learn webinar Scott Swagler from Merani Hotel Group Properties and Chad Hendricks from Experienced Associates presented their topic Generating ROI with International Students/Workers.  Some insights from the webinar: Scott Swagler Case Study J-1 Employer…

Funding Will Support Critical Infrastructure Projects Along Navigable Waterway and at Legacy Water Impounding Structures   All Canal Locks and Lift Bridges Operating Today through October 16th Video of First Vessels Entering Erie Canal at Waterford Here  Photos of First Vessels Entering Erie…

Wappingers Falls, NY: The 2024/2025 edition of New York By Rail , the 20th anniversary edition of an Amtrak publication, was just published by Content Studio New York. The beautiful commemorative edition of the Empire State’s favorite train publication is full of overnight itineraries, exclusive…

The following provides the key takeaways from the May 8th State of the American Traveler webinar presented by Future Partners.  The presentation covered their research findings on Travel Sentiment Overview, Looking Forward, Business & Group Meeting Travel, and Recent Overnight Travel. The most…

During last week's Lunch and Learn Webinar Matt Rocha from Aki Technologies presented his topic: Generative AI: Your New Favorite Intern. Some insights from the webinar: Know Before You Go You interact with traditional AI daily  Everything from Siri to Netflix recommendations AI is not a search…

Join us on Wednesday May 15th for a workforce development webinar on the use of the J1 program and how it can help your organization. This webinar will be presented by Chad Hendricks, President of Experienced Associates LLC, and Scott Swagler, General Manager of the DoubleTree Niagara Falls USA, and…

Matt Rocha is the Account Executive of Travel & Tourism at Aki Technologies. He is responsible for bringing Aki's suite of digital marketing products to destinations across the country. Matt and his team craft forward-thinking strategies for destinations to help them rise above the sea of…

Thomas Birch is the Director of Regional Sales for New York State at Intellicor Communications. With more than 25 years working in the Printing Industry, Thomas is a natural entrepreneur who has developed leadership and sales skills that have earned him the reputation of being honest, trustworthy,…

Matt Rocha, Account Executive of Travel & Tourism at Aki Technologies, will lead a hands-on workshop where you'll master practical applications of generative AI, transforming how you engage with tourists and create compelling marketing content. Learn by doing as you follow along with live…

During last week's Lunch and Learn Webinar Cassandra Razzi from Orange 142 presented her topic: DEI in Tourism Marketing.  Some insights from the webinar: Who is Orange 142? Black owned and operated Travel focused Media ad tech platform They help DMO's with Multicultural Marketing Understanding DEI…

As the media sales assistant at New York Family, Anastasia Aktipis supports the sales team in selling advertising space across various media platforms such. Her tasks can include researching potential clients, preparing campaign presentations, coordinating ad placements, managing client inquiries,…

As the Sales Account Executive at Ripe, Abigail Pippen is responsible for growing business partnerships within the northeast and midwest regions of the United States. Ripe is a lodging software provider that shifts bookings directly to sites that create the demand for lodging, such as destination…

Jake Buganski is the VP of Client Engagement at Fourth Idea. In this position he works with new and existing clients to get the most from their relationship with the agency. Having spent most of his career on the DMO side of the tourism industry, he is able to thoroughly understand the needs DMOs…

The following provides the key takeaways from the April 24th Structured for Success: Content Publishing Best Practices webinar presented by Destinations International.  The presentation covered website structure, content opportunities and best practices.  The key takeaways are as follows: Website…

(WATERFORD, NY)- The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has released an Erie Canalway Bicentennial Marketing Toolkit to help municipalities, nonprofits, tourism agencies, and businesses along the canals prepare for the bicentennial of the Erie Canal in 2025. Organizations are invited to…