New York Travel Festival 2015

SIGN UP FOR EVENT VIA EVENTBRITE!

How has the travel landscape changed for black travelers and for writers who cover it? Three journalists and an editor share their thoughts on this panel, moderated by New York Times Travel editor, Monica Drake.

SIGN UP FOR EVENT VIA EVENTBRITE!

Johny Pitts - AN AFROPEAN ODYSSEY

One cold afternoon in October, Founder and co-editor of Afropean.com Johny Pitts left London on the Eurostar to travel Europe by train for five months in search of 'Afropea'- those parts of the continent where second, third and fourth generation members of the black-diaspora in Europe are forging identities not represented in tourist literature and traditional national narratives. Johny will talk about what he found on his travels in London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Moscow, Berlin, Rome, Madrid and Lisbon and share some of his street photography due to be released as a book in 2016.

The black traveler is the industry Cinderalla story of 2015. Although just rising to the mainstream consciousness with articles in the Huffington Post and The Daily Beast. Black travel is nothing new – but what’s so different? Brands are beginning to take notice, the community is taking charge of it’s image, and smart destinations are beginning to cater to this “new” audience. 

Bringing together some of the leading voices in #brandingblacktravel, the panel will address the following:

• How can brands connect with travelers of color?


• What are some of the similarities between millennial black travelers and mainstream millenials?


• Where are the nuances in the black travel community?


• How is social media impacting the visibility of black travelers?


• What are some of the issues still facing the black travel community?


• What are the nuances within the black travel space?


• What can the “traditional” travel industry learn from the recent success of online black travel communities?


• Who “owns” the message around the black traveler brand?


• What are the top destinations for black travelers?


• What are some of the trends among black travelers?

Watching the announcement of the Apple Watch, you'd think keyless entry and seamless travel were right around the corner -- but researchers estimate just a third of air travelers will use mobile boarding passes by 2019. So what is hype, and what is reality? Join our panel to hear from destination, tour and industry experts on the trends shaping travel now and in the future.

Takeaways:
- What tech will impact the future of travel, and what will go the way of the beeper
- How destinations are upping their game, from promoting off-season activities to expanded   offerings to foodies
- The kinds of experiences different generations are interested in, from Millennials focused on experiences, to the increasing number of Boomers traveling to volunteer
- What current and upcoming travel trends mean for industry professionals and travelers

When deciding where to go, travelers take into account many factors, including cost, climate, distance and safety. Too often, though, we overlook ethical considerations. Travel can impact the environment, politics and culture in positive and negative ways. This panel will explore what's at stake, how to travel in harmony with your values, and more.

Lunch presentations include:

• Alex Herrmann of Switzerland Tourism
• Swiss goodie bag giveaway
• American friends of the Phelophepa Train
• Announcement of the winner of the Kortlist contest 

LGBT travel is one of the fastest-growing and most buoyant niches in the travel industry today. But success hasn’t come by accident. In this fast-paced session, we’ll address some of the most successful marketing and communication tactics that destinations and suppliers have used to reach LGBT travelers, and how these strategies can work for other niches too.

Bringing together leading voices from the LGBT travel space, the panel will address the following:
 
• What has made LGBT travel marketing strategies successful?
• How can these tactics work for other niches in the travel industry?
• What tactics won’t work, or need to be adjusted for different audiences?
• Is it possible to group a bunch of niches together in a marketing plan and have success?
• How is niche travel marketing evolving?
• What are the hottest new ways that niche marketing is affecting travel?

In honor of the disability rights movement and the 25th anniversary of the passage of the ADA, join the Museum Access Consortium to learn how art museums, historic sites, zoos, performing arts venues, theaters, and parks have collaborated across institutions and with disability communities to create innovative and inclusive facilities and programs for all visitors. From the impact of multi-sensory engagement on visitors with memory loss and their loved ones to low and high-tech approaches that have been effective in engaging people who have autism, this session will feature case studies from New York’s cultural institutions in efforts to spark creative thinking and inspire dialogue amongst presenters and attendees about what each of us can do to shape a culture of inclusion for people of all abilities, across the travel industry and beyond.

About Museum Access Consortium (MAC): MAC is an association that regularly hosts professional development workshops and offers a network of mutual support to help practitioners engage with disability advocates and people who have disabilities to learn about, implement, and strengthen best practices for access and inclusion in cultural facilities of all types throughout the New York metro area and beyond.

MAC website: museumaccessconsortium.org

MAC Facebook: facebook.com/museumaccess

MAC Twitter: @Maconsortium

Did you know that family and multigenerational travel represents about one-third of all leisure travel and is one of the fastest growing segments in the industry? Find out what’s behind this important trend and what suppliers, destinations, and the media can and are doing to grow their business. You’ll hear from two of the leading experts in the category and have a chance to actively engage in the discussion (after all, it is a workshop)! So come prepared with not just questions, but ideas and experiences that you can share with the group. We want everyone to feel more familiar with this important topic and be equipped with insights to help them with their business.

Join moderator Lisa Skriloff, President, Multicultural Marketing Resources Inc., and guest panelists Esther Novak, Founder & CEO - VanguardComm, Laura Mandala, President - Mandala Research, Jennifer Hung, Creative Director + Brand Strategist, as they discuss the opportunity for the travel industry to attract multicultural travelers. Learn from best practices from other industries regarding how they are marketing to Hispanic, African American, Asian & LGBT consumers.

While it would be great to be able to welcome travelers with disabilities, is it financially viable? This workshop will cover some case studies on accessibility implementation, showcasing how companies and destinations can create experiences for travelers with disabilities.

Takeaways:

How companies can work with those with disabilities

How travel can be more welcoming to people with disabilities

What happens when companies ignore or don’t offer access

What tour companies, hotels, theaters, museums and tour companies can do for people with hearing loss

Who gets to tell the world's stories?

This workshop will lead to a better understanding of how white cultural supremacy dictates the prism through which we view places, experiences, and people. We will discuss how to more accurately and respectfully represent different communities and cultures, rather than reinforcing existing paradigms of cultural supremacy and power. This is an extension of a recent discussion on Outbounding about diversity and cultural representation in travel writing. The topic affects all areas of travel media, from media outlets and publishers to writers, editors, public relations, and marketing, and advertising professionals. All industry trailblazers are invited to take part.

Some of the takeaways from this workshop are:  ​
-- the problem of the ubiquitous whiteness in travel writing and blogging as a genre; ​
--​ ​examples and some common arguments debunked of defending the status quo;
-- an exploration of class as an economic and racial divider and its role in reinforcing the system;
-- ways of effectively diversifying the genre;
-- how to tell better stories by dismantling embedded white cultural value systems. 

Join us for craft cocktails, unconventional networking, and some sweet prizes.