New York Travel Festival - April 26-27, 2014

Michelle Blackley is the communications manager at Niagara Tourism & Convention Corporation, where she works with the media and promotes visitation to Niagara Falls USA and Niagara County, New York. She also works as a professor at Buffalo State University and is an award-winning... Read More →

Since starting Matador in 2006, Ross Borden has worked with dozens of brands and destinations on custom content and viral marketing campaigns. An expert at destination/tourism marketing, he has lived in Spain, Kenya, and Argentina, and currently splits time between New York and his... Read More →

President and CDN (Chief DMO Nerd) for Sense of Place@jbsenseofplaceJim Brody is president and CDN (Chief DMO Nerd) for Sense of Place, which helps destination marketing organizations in navigating the digital/social landscape. Previously, he developed VisitNewEngland.com, founded Kaboose.com, and established DMO programs for TripAdvisor, Oyster.com and Travelzoo. Topics of Expertise: Destination marketing, destination development, digital marketing,  online reputation management Destinations of Expertise: Global... Read More →

Lisa Lubin is an established travel/food writer and three-time Emmy-award winning TV producer. She is a travel industry expert and has appeared on WGN-TV and Good Morning America. After more than a decade in broadcast television she took a sabbatical of sorts which turned into nearly... Read More →

Charles Mardiks' passion for travel started at an early age.  His father was a veteran of TWA, and he spent much of his childhood dotting the globe.  Charles has two decades of strategic marketing communications and public relations experience in global travel and tourism.  He... Read More →