News

Measuring Economic Impact Ranks as DMO's Top Priority Amid AI Disruption Based on insights from more than 350 DMOs worldwide, Sojern's 2026 State of Destination Marketing Report points to a broader shift towards performance-led marketing. Presented by Nick Beaulieu, Sales Director at Sojern, this…

Over the on February 21st-22nd weekend we had two Tourism Champions Booth in action at two major travel events in two major out of state markets. I brought the booth to the Chicago Travel & Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, and  Gary Hahn and Megan Arnone Eckwahl of the…

Cayuga County, February 2026 – Brave Women Week returns March 1 8, 2026, inviting residents and visitors to celebrate the Finger Lakes’ special role in the women’s rights and suffrage movement through a full week of themed events, exhibits, tours, and shopping specials honoring brave women,…

Ayerim Maduro Lacle is the Owner, CEO & President of HAMAK Hospitality Solutions Inc., a boutique tourism consulting and destination services firm based in New York's Hudson Valley. HAMAK Hospitality leads the Hudson Valley Hospitality & Partner Network, serving as a centralized…

NY Hotels: $28M in EV Charging Funds Available Now! Big news for increasing Level 2 EV charging in New York. As of February 2026, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) added $15 million to the Charge Ready NY 2.0 (PON 5367) program—bringing the total…

Visit Buffalo today released the results of a comprehensive tourism market study with a key finding: A new full-service convention center hotel is vital for the region’s continued growth as a host of meetings and conventions. The study, conducted by HVS, recommends that the community prioritize…

Jamestown, NY – February 18, 2026 – The National Comedy Center, the United States’ museum and national archive dedicated to the art form of comedy, was named the #1`Best Pop Culture Museum in the country by USA Today as part of the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice…

Kate Scaduto is the Marketing & Social Media Manager at Visit Buffalo. Visit Buffalo employs a staff of talented tourism professionals dedicated to promoting Buffalo and Erie County, NY. They accomplish this by partnering with national, state and regional meeting planners, motor coach tour…

Amanda Dana, Director of Tourism & Film for Orange County, joined New York Association of Towns (NYAOT) Executive Director Chris Koetzle and NYSTIA President & CEO Bob Provost onstage at the NYAOT Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon on February 16, 2026 to present the inaugural 'Tourism In Our Towns'…

The NYSTIA Tourism Excellence Awards Committee is pleased to announce updates to the award categories for 2026. After reviewing submission trends and evaluating the balance between marketing-focused and destination-focused recognition, the Committee has refined the categories to better reflect the…

Robert Patterson is the SVP, Tourism Partnerships & Solutions, at Mindtrip. Mindtrip for Business is an AI-powered solution for tourism boards and DMOs that transforms inspirational website and social content into personalized, actionable trip plans. Seamlessly embedded into branded DMO sites,…

The below RFP and article has been taken directly from fingerlakeswinecountry.com Supporting a Transition to an Agency-Led Operational Model Date Issued: February 2, 2026Response Deadline: February 27, 2026 by 4:00 p.m. EST Finger Lakes Wine Country (FLWC) represents one of New York State’s…

Rudi Thun is the Chief Operating Officer at Mindtrip. Mindtrip for Business is an AI-powered solution for tourism boards and DMOs that transforms inspirational website and social content into personalized, actionable trip plans. Seamlessly embedded into branded DMO sites, Mindtrip helps visitors…

Jenni Mitten is the Account Executive for American Road Magazine the ideal place to inspire road trip heritage-minded travelers to experience authentic, intriguing, nostalgic, and picturesque, off-the-beaten-path destinations. Listed by Enjoy Travel Life as #1 in the Best Specialty Magazines for…

Work brings partners and resources together to recognize 200th anniversary of the end of slavery and 400th anniversary of first enslaved Africans’ arrival in New York Traveling exhibits available for display by community organizations The New York State…

Kelly Rosenfeld is a Graphic Designer for Visit Buffalo. Buffalo provides authentic and unexpected experiences to inquisitive explorers. The region’s revitalized waterfront, restored architecture, thriving arts scene, culinary renaissance, vibrant neighborhoods, outdoor activities and historic…

Cayuga County, February 2026 – The Cayuga County Office of Tourism is hosting a complimentary Fund Development Incubator (FDI), a seven session educational series designed to help Cayuga County nonprofit organizations strengthen fundraising skills, improve planning, and build confidence in…

Angie Briggs serves as senior vice president of industry partnerships and engagement and chief development officer at Brand USA. In this role, she leads the partner engagement team with a focus on providing value to new and existing partners and expanding our relationships with industry…

Last week’s Wednesday Webinar featured Karl Llewellyn and Laughlin Rigby of Wheresight, who shared an exclusive look at the digital maturity of tourism businesses across four New York State counties. What Is Digital Maturity and Why It Matters: Wheresight partners with DMOs and CVBs to…

Travel show WIN! at Gillette Stadium! Your Tourism Champions booth was on display at the AAA Northeast Travel Marketplace on January 31st. We were joined in the booth by Katie Sheehy from the Lake George Chamber of Commerce & CVB. We had nonstop traffic in the booth throughout the show. Kudos to…