Find Out Why ‘Down Is What’s Up’ At The NY Travel Fest

By: Elizabeth Lutz

The Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, the 9/11 Museum and Memorial – when you think of iconic New York City, so much of it is located in Lower Manhattan. Over 14 million annual visitors experience our neighborhood’s renaissance, with brand new hotels, shopping, and attractions opening every year. Not only is Downtown a hub for tourists, we are also increasingly a hub for new technology and media companies moving south of Chambers Street as well.

As a part of the city located at the intersection of tourism, technology and media, we are proud to bring the 6th Annual New York Travel Fest to Lower Manhattan this year.

Festivities kick off at LMHQ this Friday, April 27 and will feature two days of expert speakers on the current and future state of travel before wrapping up on Sunday with a free session at The Tenement Museum.  Everyone with an interest in travel is welcome, from seasoned and aspiring travel professionals to people who simply have a passion for traveling.

DAY 1 at LMHQ – Friday, April 27
The day starts with a brief introduction on the state of the travel industry followed by panel discussions with travel marketers, service providers and content creators on the importance of partnerships and press coverage in successful destination marketing.  Activities will include a look at real life case studies as well as a workshop on “Human-Centered Design for the Tourism and Travel Industry”. Be prepared for a day of interactive sessions and networking that will connect colleagues and experts. Special guests include Downtown Alliance’s own Director of Tourism Jessica Ainlay talking about the changing landscape of tourism in Lower Manhattan and our neighbors Fathom, who have reinvented the travel website with their coverage of incredible trip ideas around the world.

DAY 2 at LMHQ – Saturday, April 2
Opening with a keynote on the state of tech in travel, attendees will hear about global travel startup activity and funding trends.  The day continues with panels on all aspects of tech and travel including: Latinx travelers, breaking away from mass-tourism, getting tourists to buy local, sustainable travel initiatives, elevating local culture awareness and how to harness the power of drones, 360 content and VR/AR.  Special guests include Lower Manhattan businesses Time Looper, to talk about they are bringing history to life via virtual reality storytelling, and Manhattan By Sail, which will be taking attendees out to explore the neighborhood by water on a lunch sail around the harbor.

DAY 3 at the Tenement Museum – Sunday, April 29
The final day brings us to the Tenement Museum for sessions that explore the meaning of being “American”, tips on traveling to discover your heritage, how to find your photographic voice and the importance of travel in historic preservation efforts. This session is free w/ suggested donations going to @TravelUnity.

Tickets are still available at at: http://nytravfest.com/align/. Use the promo code “TWEET15” to get 15% off.