Top Takeaways from the 2025 NYSTIA Conference

Last week, the team attended the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) Annual Conference in Canandaigua, NY. It was a great week full of networking with friends old and new, learning about industry trends, breakout sessions, immersion tours, one-on-ones, group dinners, and beautiful views overlooking Canandaigua Lake. Our team had the opportunity to dive into many different topics during the 2025 NYSTIA Conference, such as:

• Canadian travel sentiment
• Accessibility
• AI
• Workforce development
• Sustainability
• Destination stewardship  

These conversations sparked fresh ideas and provided valuable insights, which we’re excited to share in this blog!

Our Top Takeaways from the NYSTIA Conference 

Canadian Traveler Sentiment

Canadian travelers were a big topic of conversation this year, as we dove into the current landscape, exchange rate, ease of border crossing and overall sentiment. In a session with Rove, they noted that while public affairs are playing a role, the Canadian Dollar exchange rate to the US Dollar is what’s truly driving down cross-border travel (along with other economic factors like inflation and the stock market). Focusing on combating that with incentives, packages, or Canadian-only travel deals will help mitigate those effects. The recommendation is to target the Canadian market with intentionality, rather than taking a “wait and see” approach.  

For more on cross-border travel sentiment, explore our recent Community Conversation with a panel of travel professionals and media.

Evolving Role of the DMO

Many of the conversations at the conference centered around destination stewardship and the evolving role of the DMO. As landscapes change, the DMO is no longer solely marketing a destination to promote visitation, but now an important steward of a destination that helps to create a pride of place and quality of life for local residents through the opportunity of visitation and sustainable tourism. 

Accessibility Travel

During one of the conference’s immersion tours, we visited a full-accessible playground called “Motion Junction.” We learned that accessibility is not only about removing barriers but also building opportunities where every person can experience an activity in the same way, despite their unique needs. We met with representatives from the Victor Parks, The Strong Museum of Play, Saunders Finger Lakes Museum, Wheel the World, the Autism Nature Trail, and Ganondagan to learn how they are working to create accessible opportunities for all.  

The Role of Tourism Photography

Tourism photographer Glenn Clark spoke in a breakout session about the impact of photography on visitation. He emphasized the importance of investing time, money and effort into using photos to capture the attention of potential visitors. People tend to have various questions and factors to consider when planning a trip, both tactical and emotional. They also have certain expectations about a destination. Photography must answer traveler’s questions visually, ensuring that the destination will deliver on their expectations.   

Tourism as a “Second Lane” of Economic Development

Tourism as an essential industry for both visitors and residents was a common theme throughout the conference. Keynote speaker Josiah Brown proposed the idea of tourism as a “second lane of economic development” because it offers communities and regions a way to grow beyond their traditional industries. By attracting visitors, it creates new opportunities for business, employment, and investment, opening up additional pathways for economic development.  

Workforce Development

One immersion tour highlighted the needs and expectations of today’s workforce. A panel of professionals of various ages and career stages shared what they look for in an ideal job: a culture that encourages growth and coworkers who are passionate about what they do. They also advised employers to look past one’s age or experience and find those who are excited, motivated and easy to train.

The tour also included a presentation by Finger Lakes Community College on connecting the college with the community, workforce and tourism industry.

Lastly, roundtable sessions fostered engaging, informative dialogue around the following topics:

• Connecting Youth & Employers
• Successful Internship Programs
• Successful Volunteer Programs
• Becoming a Best Place to Work
• Hospitality Staff Frontline Training. 

Reimagining Museums

From photo props to FeLiX the Alpaca (as a finger puppet and walking mascot!), the conference acted as a soft launch of the Finger Lakes Virtual Museum by FLVC. This project reimagined what a museum is, bringing local history across an entire county to life through an interactive app created by STQRY, with help from RIT Magic Spell Studios. The Virtual Museum interprets historical markers in an accessible way, by combining audio, visuals and even augmented reality. This project is the inspiration and blueprint for thinking outside of the box – and outside of four walls. (See how we used STQRY to gamify the Apple Tasting Tour.)

The 2025 NYSTIA Annual Conference offered valuable insights into tourism’s evolving role, from fostering economic growth to prioritizing accessibility and sustainability. Key topics like Canadian traveler sentiment, workforce development, and reimagining museums showcased the power of innovation and collaboration. Events like this reaffirm tourism’s dual impact on visitor experiences and local communities, inspiring us to create lasting, positive change.