SYTA Conference 2024

Afternoon Refreshments for Suppliers
2024-08-11 14:30 - 16:30, 2024-08-10 15:30 - 16:30 UTC
Location: Connection Corner

Business Sessions IV Begins
2024-08-11 14:30

Branson's Ice Cream Social
2024-08-11 14:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-11 10:00 - 12:00
Join us for the Branson Ice Cream Social! Get the scoop on Branson at our delightful ice cream cart. Enjoy delicious treats while learning about all the fun and exciting things Branson has to offer. Don’t miss out on this sweet experience at the SYTA annual conference!
Sponsored by Explore Branson.

Explore NYC: Lunch on Own (all attendees)
2024-08-11 13:15 - 14:15

Business Appointment Session III Ends
2024-08-11 13:01

Education Session: Preparing for the Worst
2024-08-11 11:15 - 12:15
Location: Sugar Hill Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

Utilizing Crisis Simulations to Understand Roles and Responsibilities When Disasters Occur – Once your organization has developed a Crisis Response Plan and your team members have been trained in order to understand the role each of them play in a crisis response, it is important to practice so everyone knows how to use the Plan. A Crisis Simulation activity allows team members to act out their part as if the simulation were a real crisis. It gives an opportunity for team members to develop a reference point and memory that they can call upon to help ensure they will react appropriately during a real-life event. Join our panel to participate in a live crisis simulation activity and come away with an experience and resources you can take back to your organization to make sure you are prepared for the worst. This session was organized by the SYTA Health & Safety Committee.
Sponsored by AFC Travel.

Speakers: Dave Dennis with Cornerstone Safety Group and members of SYTA’s Health & Safety Committee

For more information, click here.

Education Session: Applied DEIA Workshop
2024-08-11 11:15 - 12:15
Location: Chelsea Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

Roni Weiss of Travel Unity, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit that has curated DEI standards for Travel & Tourism, and Harry Alvarez of Offbeat Travel will facilitate a workshop where participants will be invited to create their own roadmap for applied DEI, including how to appeal to travelers of all backgrounds and identities, diversify your workforce, and improve relationships with local communities.
Sponsored by Visit Montgomery

Speaker: Roni Weiss

For more information, click here.

Education Session: Succession and Business Continuity Planning
2024-08-11 11:15 - 12:15
Location: Bowery Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

Speaker: Andrea Ross

For more information, click here.

Education Session: Communications in a Crisis – Get Ready Now!
2024-08-11 10:00 - 11:00
Location: Chelsea Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

As anyone who has lived through a crisis can tell you, you’ll never be completely ready when a crisis hits your firm or a tragedy affects your customers. It’s easy to be caught off guard when the media, government officials, law enforcement, first responders or your travelers start flooding your phone, email and social media channels! But you can guard against chaos by having your communications plan prepared in advance. In this session, we will review a crisis communications program framework that covers what you need to communicate to your stakeholders Before, During and After a crisis. The goal will be to arm you with Best Practices, provide you with a template for a plan and get you started on creating Key Messages, Holding Statements and tips for effective communications management in a crisis.

Speaker: Cathleen Johnson with CJ Tourism Consultants.

For more information, click here.

Education Session: Bridging the Gap
2024-08-11 10:00 - 11:00
Location: Sugar Hill Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

How to effectively work with DMOs and tour operators.

Speakers: Noelle Piche from Tourism Kingston will be the moderator. Panelists will be announced mid-July

For more information, click here.

Business Appointment Session III Begins
2024-08-11 10:00

Tour Operator Lounge
2024-08-11 09:30 - 17:00
Sponsored by: Canada Tourism Partners & Fly My Group.

Location: Empire Ballroom West

Barista Bar
2024-08-11 09:30 - 11:30
Discover Puerto Rico is proud to sponsor SYTA’s coffee break. Puerto Rico’s coffee is in itself a unique tradition, and you will be able to savor one of the Island’s authentic flavors as you network and gather with peers and colleagues during the event.

SYTA Youth Foundation Auction & Chance Drawing
2024-08-11 09:00 - 17:30
Click here for more information.

SYTA Central and Foundation Networking Lounge
2024-08-11 09:00 - 17:30

Tour Operator Travel Talks
2024-08-11 09:00 - 09:45
Travel Talk 1: Northern Virginia Tourism Partners

Travel Talk 2: Smoky Mountain Partners

Travel Talk 3: Smoky Mountain Partners

Travel Talk 4: Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism

Connection Corner
2024-08-11 08:00 - 17:00

Continental Breakfast for Suppliers
2024-08-11 08:00 - 10:00

Tour Operator Continental Breakfast
2024-08-11 07:45 - 09:00
Location: Sheraton Times Square Hotel Lobby

Sponsored by: Smoky Mountain Partners, Northern Virginia Tourism Partners, Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism

Wellness Lounge
2024-08-11 06:00 - 17:30
Sponsored by Visit Williamsburg.

Experience rejuvenation at our conference wellness room: greet the day with morning yoga sessions, unwind with chair massages available upon signup, and find tranquility in our serene meditation room—a haven for relaxation and focus. Elevate your conference experience with moments dedicated to your well-being.
See schedule below and sign up for services HERE.

6:00 am – 7:00 am Yoga Session in Columbus CircleJumpstart your morning with a gentle yoga flow. Open to all experience levels, this yoga class will focus on mindful mobility and will feature a combination of movements including joint activations, gentle stretching, flows to get your blood moving, strength work and restorative poses. You can also expect to be guided through a simple meditative practice aimed to leave you feeling clear, grounded, and hopeful. Class led by FitToursNYC

6:00 am – 5:30 pm Meditation Room Open in Madison Square

7:30 am – 8:00 am Meditation with Heather DavisHeather is a board-certified art therapist and licensed mental health counselor based out of Indianapolis. She is currently leveraging her decade of military service and over 8 years of work in the mental health field as Vice President of Experience for the Music Travel Consultants family of brands. Heather has spent the last three years consulting with travel industry professionals on bringing mental health awareness, burnout prevention, healthy communication and more into both the workplace and student travel through speaking opportunities and direct consultation.

9:00 am – 5:30 pm Chair Massages in Bryant Park (2 at a time, every 15 minutes)(lunch break for therapists from 11:30am-12:30pm)

Empire State Building Observatory Sunrise Breakfast and Run, Walk, Slumber (RWS)
2024-08-11 05:00 - 08:00
Join us for an unforgettable morning at the iconic Empire State Building Observatory!

Experience a breathtaking sunrise with our Sunrise Breakfast and Run, Walk, Slumber (RWS) event, presented in collaboration with the Empire State Building Observatory, Starbucks Reserve®, and Big Bus New York.

Whether you prefer running, walking, or relaxing on a bus ride, this event promises a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you won’t want to miss. Buses will depart from the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel at 5:00 am to ensure you arrive on time.

As the city awakens, step into the Empire State Building’s indoor and outdoor 360-degree newly enhanced 86th-floor Observatory where you will be treated to a complimentary breakfast featuring the exclusive Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building Microblend Coffee.

After witnessing the sunrise and the unparalleled views of New York City from its very heart, take some time to immerse deeper into the history and allure of the Empire State Building by visiting the NEW interactive Exhibits on the 2nd floor.

Return to the hotel and get ready for a day full of excitement and learning at SYTA!

Transportation provided by: Big Bus New York

Afterglow at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
2024-08-10 22:00 - 2024-08-11 00:00
Location: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. 45 East 42nd Street

The Afterglow is closed*. If you have not received a confirmation of your RSVP from SUMMIT, unfortunately, no more guests can be accommodated. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please note, doors will close at 11:00 PM; attending guests must arrive by this time in order to be admitted.

Reflect on your SYTA experience at the attraction that has taken the Student Travel Market by storm! Named the ‘Most Instagramable Place in the World’ by Elle Magazine, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt blends elements of art and technology within three levels of mind-bending multi-sensory immersive experiences, set against the backdrop of the New York City skyline – elevating the concept of an “observation deck” to entirely new heights. ​

*If you wish to visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt at another time during the conference, please contact Fabio at fabio.monteiro@summitov.com.

Transportation: Academy Bus is providing transportation on a loop starting at Radio Park at 10:00 pm, dropping at SUMMIT, heading back to Sheraton, and continuing the loop.

SYTA Youth Foundation Evening Reception - A Silver Soiree: Celebrating 25 Years of Impact (Fundraising Event)
2024-08-10 19:30 - 22:30
Radio Park at Rockefeller Center, New York City, NY

Join us for a night of food, drink, and entertainment as the SYTA Youth Foundation celebrates 25 years of impacting young lives through travel! Indulge in conversations with old friends and forge new connections, united by a shared passion for creating positive change. Let’s come together to celebrate this significant milestone and the lives we have touched along the way.

SYTA attendees are encouraged to support the Foundation’s mission to connect youth with the resources required for travel experiences that will inspire them to be confident, connected, and socially responsible global citizens by purchasing tickets for themselves and their clients in lieu of hosting a dine around evening.

In honor of the SYTA Youth Foundation, we will celebrate the talents of the next generation! We’ve curated a lineup of student performers, perfectly aligning with our commitment to supporting and highlighting student achievements. A special thanks to Broadway Imagined and The Julliard School for their invaluable assistance in discovering and securing these remarkable young artists for our evening.

Transportation will be provided.

Information: This fundraising event is open to anyone.

Cost: $250 per person (Proceeds support the SYTA Youth Foundation programs and scholarships).

To purchase a ticket for this fundraising event, visit here.

Questions? Email Deb Borgwardt at dborgwardt@syta.org.

Business Appointment Session II Ends
2024-08-10 17:03

Board of Directors Election Closes
2024-08-10 17:00

Education Session: Mastering the SYTA Marketing Toolkit
2024-08-10 16:15 - 17:15
Location: Sugar Hill Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

If you are a harried, overwhelmed or under-resourced marketer for your organization, this session is for you! SYTA has developed an excellent resource to make your marketing job easier and it’s just a click away on SYTA.org. Join the developers and enthusiastic users of the SYTA Marketing Toolkit for a practical, interactive session on ways to use the Toolkit to incorporate relevant and easy-to-use video, messaging, pre-prepared press releases, graphics and more into your own marketing materials. Presenters will demonstrate the tools in the kit and brainstorm with you on new ways to use them! This session was organized by the SYTA Communications Committee

Speakers: Kasie Smith from Serendipity Media, Casey Cole from Super Holiday Tours and Music USA Festivals, Catheleen Johnson from CJ Tourism consultants and Matthew Fenton from Bob Rogers Travel.

For more information, click here.

Education Session: International Travel
2024-08-10 16:15 - 17:15
Location: Chelsea Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

SYTA Research shows that Out-of-country travel is forecasted to grow 240% over last year. Many student tour operators rely on receptive operators to facilitate their groups while traveling abroad. Hear from a panel of international tour operators on how to partner with them and what is unique to their destinations. Panel speakers and countries to be available by mid-July. This session was organized by the SYTA International Committee.
Sponsored by Broadway Inbound.

Speakers: Panel speakers and countries to be available mid-July

For more information, click here.

Education Session: NASA STEAM at Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex
2024-08-10 15:00 - 16:00
Location: Sugar Hill Room, Executive Conference Center, Lower Level

Sponsored by NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex

Speaker: Jose Hernandez

For more information, click here.
