ILoveNY

November Is New York State History Month

November 9, 2015 by Editorial Staff 7 Comments

In 1997, the New York State Legislature established November as New York State History Month “to celebrate the history of New York state and recognize the contributions of the state and local historians.” The celebration has been mostly ignored since 2002.

In 2014, the New York State Museum launched a New York State History Month page on its website, which included links to state-wide and regional history resources and a listing of museum events. This year, there is a more comprehensive History Events web calendar. [Read more…] about November Is New York State History Month

Inside New York State’s History Tourism Bubble

April 29, 2015 by Peter Feinman 16 Comments

The Albany-Manhattan bubble is a term I use to describe the alternate reality in which the New York State government operates regarding history tourism.

Recent events in New York, Albany, and Corning (The New York Times Travel Show, Tourism Action Day, a Tourism Advisory Council Meeting, and the Museum Association of New York Annual Conference), and the presentations and comments I heard from by the inhabitants of the Albany-Manhattan bubble, demonstrate a disconnect with the real world and little hope that anything constructive will be done to bridge that gap. [Read more…] about Inside New York State’s History Tourism Bubble

I Love New York And New York History

April 14, 2015 by Peter Feinman 2 Comments

Two of the speakers at The New York Times Travel Show at the “Focus on New York State Destinations” session were Gavin Landry, executive director of ILoveNY and Ross Levi, ILoveNY vice president.

Gavin was pleased that for the first time New York State had its own aisle at the travel show. He invited people to think of New York State as a country to be visited. Ross referred to four tourist marketing sectors: Adventures and Eco-Tourism, Path through History, Taste NY, and LGBT. [Read more…] about I Love New York And New York History

Peter Feinman: Create Pathfinders In Your Region

April 7, 2015 by Peter Feinman 6 Comments

I attended The New York Times Travel Show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City in January, as a member of the press for The New York History Blog. The event included a special session, “Focus on New York State Destinations,” moderated by Tim Lewis, of Viator Inc.

The company apparently has been hired by ILoveNY to promote tours in New York State. Its website lists 19 tours in New York at present: 16 in Manhattan and three to Niagara Falls, including one-day trips from the New York City. There is a two-day bus trip to Niagara Falls from New York with a “Bargain shop at one of the large outlet malls on the way back to New York.” New York State history does not appear to be a prominent part of its tour packages at present. Again, it should be noted, the company was hired to promote New York State tourism not history tourism in New York State. [Read more…] about Peter Feinman: Create Pathfinders In Your Region

2015 Museums Conference Keynote Speakers Set

January 29, 2015 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The Museum Association of New York (MANY) has announced the keynote speakers for the 2015 Museums in Action Conference, being held in Corning, NY from Sunday, April 12th to Tuesday, April 14th.

The 2015 conference theme is “Museums Mean Business”. Locally, statewide and across the country, museums help drive the economy. The scope of their impact is varied and wide, and includes audiences from all ranges of income and education. Tourists, local community members and school children are only a few of the groups that frequent museums on a daily basis. Each year nationally, more people visit museums than attend all professional sporting events and theme parks combined! Museums provide jobs, education and community spaces, and are a major attraction for tourism dollars. [Read more…] about 2015 Museums Conference Keynote Speakers Set

An Update On The Finger Lakes Museum

January 14, 2015 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

In December, The Finger Lakes Museum was awarded two New York State agency grants through Round IV of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative. The awards totaled $254,500.

In two separate letters to museum board President John Adamski, Empire State Development President and CEO Kenneth Adams wrote that the Finger Lakes Regional Council had recommended a $200,000 grant award for capital construction work at the museum’s campus in Branchport and an additional $54,500 through its Division of Tourism for marketing and promotion through the state’s I Love New York program. [Read more…] about An Update On The Finger Lakes Museum