So, in this week's edition, the plan is to talk with Roni Weiss, the founder & organiser of NYTF, about the festival itself, AND to get the ball rolling with the kind of discussion that will be taking place during the festival, in this case about Travel and the impact of social media influencers/marketers.
So, we'll be joined by a number of guests who have views on on the topic, some of whom will be appearing as speakers at NYTF, and I'll be confirming those speakers on the event page over the next few days, starting with...
Melvin Böcher - Owner of Traveldudes.org and co-founder iAmbassador (travel blogger collective).
Matthew Barker - Digital marketer & founder I&I Travel Media (digital travel marketing). Don't forget you can use the Q&A app (top right of video screen on the hangout event page) to ask questions before & during the hangout.
Join us by following #NYTF on Twitter from 12-1p on Wed., April 8th.
New York City Urban Adventures invites journalists, travel writers, and bloggers to join us for a special New York Travel Festival version of our brand new, New York Craft Cocktail Tour. You will be the first people to take this tour which won’t launch to the public until May 1st. We’ve set up two dates for you to join just in case you can’t make the first tour. The dates are April 14th and April 25th. The tickets are complimentary and on both days the tour will run from 5:30pm to 8:30pm and will leave from Tompkins Square Park and end at a cocktail bar in the vicinity of Lafayette and 3rd St.
NOTE: You must reserve your spot in advance by contacting us at info@newyorkcityurbanadventures.com.
Spring is in the air and that means it's time to get back out on the trails! This month, Kevin Rosenberg of Gear to Go Outfitters will be teaching us compass skills that we can bring with us to our adventures both near and far.
RegisterTickets are $10 and include educational materials, presenter, awesome crew, and 2 for 1 drinks, but NYTF attendees can apply code freeforvips toward admission.
Gear to Go Outfitters is Brooklyn's outfitter. They rent and sell gear, do community outdoor education and offer guided hiking, backpacking, and rock climbing trips that include everything from transportation to gourmet meals. Their newest initiative, Trail Taxi, will offer New Yorkers and even easier way to get out into the great outdoors.
Embark on an evening of AzAmazing updates from the brand including new cruise itineraries, program launches like Cruise Global, Eat Local and the unveiling of Azamara's exclusive destination immersive virtual technology – a first-ever in the cruise industry – at The Park Lounge at the Gansevoort Park Avenue Hotel.
At the event, make sure to connect with the representatives from New York Travel Festival to get last minute tickets, ask questions, etc. The weekends’ activities (April 18-19) will include engaging experiences for passionate travelers and industry professionals. Join us for panels, speakers, tastings, workshops, and plentiful networking opportunities with like-minded explorers.
A reminder to everyone, please take a moment to make a full profile on TravelMassive.com New York City Chapter, since we’ll begin sending event announcements only through that channel starting May 1st.
*More details below on special perks, giveaways and event details.
Your cruise directors,
Jess + Lauren
Azamara:
Azamara is an up-market, boutique cruise line that brings travelers the opportunity to spend more time in ports (including late nights and overnight stays) and experience true Destination Immersion. Azamara ships offer globetrotters the ultimate travel experience and representatives, including President and CEO Larry Pimentel, will be on hand to speak about Azamara’s signature programs. It's these programs, such as Insider Access, AzAmazing Evenings and Nights and Cool Places, that differentiate Azamara and inspire guests to “think outside the ship.”
Visiting 204 ports of call in 70 countries without repeating a single voyage, Azamara brings guests to some of the most popular and remote corners of the world. Where do you want to go? Share your Azamara bucket list port of call using #LoveTravel for a chance to win the trip of a lifetime onboard Azamara. Pre-event tweeting is encouraged and welcome for extra chances! One lucky winner will be selected on the evening of the event. Visit www.azamaraclubcruises.com for a full list of itineraries for reference.
Join in the conversation! Follow @Azamara Club Cruises on Facebook, @AzamaraVoyages on Twitter and @azamaraclubcruises on Instagram.
Giveaway: Share your Azamara bucket list port of call using #LoveTravel for a chance to win the trip of a lifetime onboard Azamara. Pre-event tweeting is encouraged and welcome for extra chances! One lucky winner will be selected on the evening of the event. Visit www.azamaraclubcruises.com for a full list of itineraries for reference.
Featured businesses on the April 17th tour include:
SITU Fabrication: (@situstudio) Bringing design, fabrication, and research under one company, Situ’s team is able to tackle complex building challenges using a wide variety of tools, materials, and approaches. In their fabrication space, depending on which project they are working on, attendees might see how their metal workers construct sculptural elements for an artist’s installation, how they craft complex shapes using their robotic 5-dimensional router, how plastics are molded for interior design pieces on their thermomolder, or how they designed and built the “Making It In NYC” exhibit in BLDG 92.
AHeirloom: (@a_heirloom) Founded by husband and wife team Amy Stringer-Mowat and Bill Mowat, AHeirloom manufacturers a variety of wooden home goods, though they are best known for their cutting boards shaped like the states. Thanks to digital design tools and computer-controlled machinery, they can make these complex shapes – and even add custom details like your hometown or an inscription – quickly and affordably.
NYTF ’15 attendees can apply the discount code “NYTF2015″ toward the cost of the “Making It In NYC: Inside Industry Tour” along with other Turnstile Tours’ offerings now and throughout May. To purchase tickets, visit this link.
Photo by Randy Duchaine
Startup Exhibitors:
Threestay
Fantrotter
GeoSure
Minaal
Poshpacker
Travel Monkey
Visit.org
Learn how the Google Travel team is helping travel companies to manage the accelerated pace of technological change, and incorporate the following principles into their digital marketing strategies:
1) Innovate and grow
2) Make better decisions
3) Win moments that matter
Mobile as a 2015 megatrend is fundamentally changing the way travel brands do business. Not since the arrival of the web has there been such a seismic shift in the industry. Mobile is not only fueling key shifts in consumer behavior but also initiating new business models and industry partnerships. In this session, we focus on three award-winning travel mobile innovations – and why they are deemed “best of the best” by bloggers, industry mavens and consumers alike. Innovative, disruptive and seamless. Come see what the future of mobile travel holds for you. Bring your “A” game, and your crystal ball!
Startup Exhibitors:
Threestay
Moderator:
Mike Coletta - Organizer, Travel 2.0 / Founder, Fantrotter
Panelists:
• Rob Weiss - Director of Business Development, YouVisit
• Alex Grau - CTO, TotalCinema360
• Ori Inbar - CEO, AugmentedReality.org
Moderator:
Larry Smith - Partner, Thematix
Panelists:
• Kunal Kapoor - Business Development Manager - Watson Ecosystem at IBM
• Michael Becker - CEO, Geosure Global
Threestay
Fantrotter
GeoSure
Minaal
Poshpacker
Travel Monkey
Visit.org
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
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: 
Startup Exhibitors:
Threestay
Fantrotter
GeoSure
Minaal
Poshpacker
Travel Monkey
Visit.org
She moved to USA to pursue collage education. Leaving behind her passion for singing for many years to fulfill the American dream. As life went on she noticed, she was living in a world where technology was gaining momentum while culture was getting less and less attention. As she searched to find a way to hold on to her culture, she got inspired to follow her lifelong passion for music. With her music, she looks to keep the African cultural values alive through her music, drumming, storytelling and dance. She also sings in three languages including her tribal language, Kihaya, Tanzanian’s national language, Kiswahili and English. She looks to share her passion for African music and rhythm as a way to maintain her roots.
About us: Curious on Tanzania is a social traveling platform that offers unique Tanzanian experience within and outside the country. Find out more by visiting curiousontanzania.com
This panel will discuss:
1) How to find your stories
Tips and strategies on how to find fascinating stories, including determining unique/distinctive angles and newsy hooks, connecting with sources, conducting interviews and more
2) How to pitch your stories
Effective ways to pitch and sell your stories, including advice on how to write engaging, successful pitch letters
3) And, ultimately, how to tell your stories Strategies on how to craft a powerful narrative, from the words to the visuals and beyond
After a brief panel discussion, the audience will have ample time to ask questions to the speakers.
New York City Urban Adventures invites journalists, travel writers, and bloggers to join us for a special New York Travel Festival version of our brand new, New York Craft Cocktail Tour. You will be the first people to take this tour which won’t launch to the public until May 1st. We’ve set up two dates for you to join just in case you can’t make the first tour. The dates are April 14th and April 25th. The tickets are complimentary and on both days the tour will run from 5:30pm to 8:30pm and will leave from Tompkins Square Park and end at a cocktail bar in the vicinity of Lafayette and 3rd St.
NOTE: You must reserve your spot in advance by contacting us at info@newyorkcityurbanadventures.com.
