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July 28-August 1---Albany Medical College---150 ppl
August 4-7, 2010---NYS Automobile Dealers Association, Inc---70 ppl
August 5-7---American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists-District II/New York---200 ppl
August 11-14---New York State Automobile Dealers Association, Inc.---70 ppl
August 22-26---New York State Funeral Directors Association---700 ppl
Empire State College
Floydwarriors.com
HelmsBriscoe
Jacob & Anthony's
Laura Wilson Gallery
Plum Dandy
Sundaes Best Hot Fudge Sauce
When you become a member of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau in Saratoga Springs NY, your business will be actively promoted through various member-only outlets. We actively work to attract conventions, meetings, trade shows and social events to Saratoga Springs and bring business to our local neighborhood vendors.
"I'd like you to know that a referral your office gave me for individual transfers was WONDERFUL. Dan at All Occasion Limo was the greatest. We had about 20 one way transfers - and about 10 of them had cancellations of flights due to the bad weather. He stayed on top of all of them, didn't miss a beat. Then, two of the people had special situations requiring additional service; and they came thru with flying colors."
---Judy Harvey
Cameron Park Travel
Oley Conference
Submit your testimonial!
Refer a Friend to Join the Bureau!
Please send us your event listings, special news or congratulations and we will post it on our website and in our newsletters!
E-mail your news and event listings to Angela LaTerra at angela@discoversaratoga.org
+See Area Events
Browse through the Bureau's newsletter archive... Click Here
This dish is served at:
Hattie's Restaurant!
"Jasper's Mac and Cheese"
Click here to view the recipe!
Visit Hattie's Restaurant at 45 Phila Street.
Send in your recipe to angela@discoversaratoga.org or fax it to 584-2969.
We'd love to hear from you! If there are specific topics you'd like us to blog about or if you are interested in writing your own blog to be published on our website, please don't hesitate to e-mail our sales and communications coordinator Angela LaTerra angela@discoversaratoga.org.
The Bureau is always finding new ways to communicate to our audience. One section on our website is dedicated to blogging. We use blogs as a social media strategy to help us stay in frequent contact with existing and potential customers and members.
Through our blogs, we share industry tips, comment on and discuss issues related to the industry and life in general, explain new technology emerging in the market, and much more!
To keep up with the burgeoning use of Internet marketing, the Bureau has a presence on social media websites. We are featured on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and YouTube. Angela is frequently updating these sites with useful information including upcoming events, pictures, videos, industry articles and more! So, befriend us, follow us, watch us, and read about us! Check us out... CLICK HERE!
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I have spoken many times before on our need to expand our sales reach and sell more to key National & International markets. This is becoming more and more prevalent as Global Foundries ramps up and continues to bring new employee recruits to town from places like Dresden, Singapore and beyond. One of the ways we are doing this is through our new marketing partnership with Helms Briscoe. Helms Briscoe is the global leader in meeting procurement, leveraging the experience of more than 1100 meetings professionals in over 35 countries around the world. In 2009, Helms Briscoe booked over 18,000 meetings globally, representing more than 3.1 million room nights valued at more than $503 million. As a Preferred Destination for Helms Briscoe, Saratoga Springs will now be marketed directly to this incredibly important network of meetings professionals. We are very excited to begin this relationship and look forward to reaping the rewards from this initiative. Additionally, and to compliment the initiative with Helms Briscoe, we have also entered into a marketing agreement with Cvent. Cvent is the industry’s leading supplier network, reaching over 250,000 meeting & event planners globally (including the 1,100+ Helms Briscoe professionals). As a highlighted destination, Saratoga Springs will have a customized destination guide created and receive preferred placement for it within the supplier network. We will also receive upgraded features within the tool that will allow us to include more images and detailed descriptions of our hotels and attractions within it. As our business continues to grow and evolve, the Bureau will continue to be proactive in our efforts to find new business opportunities around the world. _________________________________________
“And they’re off…for the 142nd meeting at the Spa!”, as our good friend, Tom Durkin – Track Announcer for Saratoga Race Course said to open this year’s race meet on Friday, July 23rd. This is our season, Saratoga’s opportunity to shine on a global stage for 6 weeks as we host the most prestigious thoroughbred horse racing meet in the country. While world-class horse racing is the face of Saratoga, and it gives us access to meeting & incentive planners and group tour operators from around the world…it is really just one component (a very big component) of what Saratoga Springs has to offer as a destination.
I have included links to three different articles that have recently appeared in the likes of The Boston Globe, Golf Digest and our own Saratogian. These articles speak to just some of the attributes that make Saratoga a world-class destination. Please enjoy…
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Sales and Services Update
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July was another busy month for your Bureau sales team!
Marie Moynihan hosted The Life & Health Compliance Association and the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association for site visits this month. Both visits went very well and as always our guests were thrilled with all that Saratoga Springs has to offer. The weather was fantastic and downtown was hopping to add to the excitement! The MPIGNY chapter held their annual golf tournament and networking reception at the Crystal Springs Resort in New Jersey this month. Marie hit the road to follow up with many of the contacts she made at the June event in New York City. The efforts continue to build strong relationships and increase Saratoga’s visibility as a destination for the groups from the greater NY/NJ area. As always, the sales efforts continued in the Albany area throughout the month as well.
Heather McElhiney concentrated heavily on the group tour market throughout the months of June and July. July and August are prime time for group tour operators; it is during this time that the operators decide upon and create itineraries for the tours they will be offering to their group tour leaders. Generally, by the end of August, the following years selection of tours are planned, the catalogues are designed and printed, and finally, mailed to tens of thousands of group tour leaders. This is a crucial time of year to keep Saratoga fresh in the operators minds, as well as provide them new information on activities in Saratoga and fresh tour ideas and itineraries.
Heather once again participated in an organized group tour sales blitz, coordinated by Destinations of New York. This two day blitz brought Saratoga to central New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia market. Heather and 10 other New York State venues and attractions met with 13 group tour operators. Many of the operators have visited and planned tours in the Saratoga/Lake George region and would consider doing so again or on a more regular basis. As expected, many groups have come only during racing season, and a good part of the conversations discussed all of the other year round attractions the Saratoga area has to offer. Most importantly, Heather continues to sell the additional options and attractions that could be available to the group should they decide to overnight in Saratoga.
Later in July, Heather had the opportunity to travel with a hotel partner to Massachusetts and New Hampshire to visit additional group tour leaders. On this two day trip, we represented Saratoga to eight group tour companies. Again, many of these companies are using Saratoga for a day trip or a meal stop over. We have been having active conversations with two of these companies and are excited to say that both companies are offering two separate Saratoga overnight tours in their 2011 catalogue. While both will continue to offer one racing season tour, both are also now offering a Fall/Winter tour as well. Several other companies were interested in discussing itineraries as well - either to freshen up their racing season offering, or present a new product outside of the season.
Heather and hoteliers will continue to follow up and work with the group tour operators throughout August, after which we will begin to add the group tour leaders into our focus. Once we have our tours in the operators catalogues, we will attend marketplaces and trade shows where we can promote these tours directly to the buyers – the group tour leaders.
Convention Services
The National Curriculum Mapping Institute was in Park City, UT for 15 years; 2009 being the last year before coming to Saratoga. This year’s conference was held at the Maple Avenue Middle School. The National Curriculum Mapping Institute is a national conference produced by Curriculum Designers, a 100% virtual company, with team members located across the US. Curriculum Mapping is a procedure for collecting and documenting the operational curriculum anchored in the actual school calendar. Each teacher in the building enters critical information about the basic elements of the operational curriculum.
The group held their meetings each day at the Maple Avenue Middle School and returned to their hotels in the evening – ate in our restaurants and shopped in our stores. This group was housed in 8 different lodging properties. We are very excited they chose Saratoga for their 2010 conference. Our sales team is working closely with them in hopes they will return to Saratoga for future years!
CLICK HERE to view pictures!
CLICK HERE to read full press release!
The New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) held their annual conference in Saratoga Springs July 11-14, 2010 for the first time. This conference is bringing nearly 700 attendees and 1450 room nights each year for three consecutive years!
The group is stayed at The Saratoga Hilton, Courtyard by Marriott, The Holiday Inn and the Hampton Inn & Suites. Their meeting sessions took place in the Saratoga Springs City Center, amidst the ongoing renovation, as well as many of the above mentioned hotels.
Executive Director Peter Mannella comments, “Change after so many years is always a challenge. The folks here in Saratoga, especially at the Convention and Tourism Bureau, have made our first steps a pleasure. We are all very excited about the Hilton and the City Center in 2010 and hopeful about our future in Saratoga! We’re looking forward to spending five terrific days with the people of this great city!”
Other groups that met in our beautiful city this month are NY Public Welfare Assn., NYS Bankers Assn and Albany Medical College.
Mid-Year Update of the Annual Convention Calendar – hard to believe but we are working on the next edition of our Convention Calendar. Stay turned and watch your mail for this publication in early September.
And for all of you reading this newsletter – remember – if you are a member of an association, local club or any organization – we would love to work with you – maybe their next convention could be held in our beautiful city.
AMTRAK Discount
Receive a 20% discount for travel between any two stations within New York State! Three day advanced purchase required and restrictions apply, please go to www.amtrak.com and refer to the "I Love NY fare (V557)"
Vapor Night Club Presents Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler, the ultimate American jam band who fused sounds of jazz, blues and hard rock to produce chart-topping hits, will perform live at Vapor inside Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Thursday, August 26. Blues Traveler fans can visit www.vapornightclub.com to purchase tickets or for more information. General admission tickets are $30.00. Doors open at 7:00 pm and the band will take the stage at 8pm. Must be 21 or older to enter Vapor. Discover all of the exciting entertainment happening at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway at www.saratogagaming.com
Jonesville Store August Music Schedule
The Jonesville Store (a.k.a. Café Jonesville) offers live music both Friday and Saturday evenings beginning at 6:30pm. There is no cover charge. The upcoming dates are as follows:
Friday, August 6 Mark Emanatian
Saturday, August 7 John Eisenhart
Friday, August 13 Mark Tolstrup & Dale Haskell
Saturday, August 14 Rebecca Angel Trio
Friday, August 20 Kevin Maul
Saturday, August 21 Jim Gaudet Trio
Friday, August 27 Nancy Walker Trio
Saturday, August 28 Chris Carey & Chris Kyle
Floydwarriors.com Announces ‘Healthy Living Expo 2010’ for the Capital Region
Click here to read press release
Manchester Sidewalk Sales!
Manchester Designer Outlets presents Sidewalk Sales on August 12,13,14 and 15!
Click here to see poster
 Saratoga Springs
City Center Update
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Photo by Derek Pruitt, The Post-Star
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