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| Bridging the Past with the Future, Promoting Cultural Heritage Tourism Through Education & Marketing - March 19 | Laura Mandala is featured speaker at Network Symposium | Mandala Research head to discuss cultural heritage travelers | | Bridging the past with the future, promoting cultural heritage tourism through education and marketing will be the days theme and will include both lecture and breakout sessions on the best ways to promote attractions to potential cultural heritage travelers. The keynote address will be given by Laura Mandala, Principal of Mandala Research, Alexandra, VA. |  Ms.
Mandala has been helping the tourism industry unlock, decode and harness
the power of travel data and trends for nearly two decades. As the head
of Mandala Research, one of the leading travel and tourism research firms
in the world, she spends considerable time evaluating important emerging
developments and that helps cultural heritage attractions make the right
decisions to attract the right traveler.
She recently completed her second study on the Cultural and Heritage Traveler. This report identifies the broad range of cultural and heritage travel in the United States, profiles the various segments of cultural travelers, and provides insight into their economic value to travel companies and destinations. Not only does this report detail all that cultural heritage destinations need to know about this high value segment of traveler, it uses the benchmark data from the first Cultural and Heritage study to highlight trends and reveal shifts in travel behaviors and preferences since 2009 when that study was conducted. Her commentary will include key data and insights including Psychographics & Demographics, Trip planning and travel behavior, Levels of involvement in cultural activities and overlap across activities, Generational differences in cultural travel preferences (Millennial, Gen X, and Boomers), as well as the overall economic value of culture and heritage in the marketplace. Appointed by the U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary to serve on the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, Laura has been providing input on the country’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy. Her career includes tenure at the U.S. Travel Association where she served as Vice President of Research. Ms. Mandala also worked over a span of 15 years as a consultant with Marriott International where she gained extensive expertise in brand tracking, brand equity, and brand identity research, as well as global product and service preference, portfolio analysis, loyalty program membership and website usability. Ms. Mandala has held teaching appointments at Northwestern, Georgetown McDonough School of Business and George Washington University. The afternoon session will be led by L.B. “Spike” Herzig, President of The Herzig Group Inc and a leading advocate for cultural heritage packaged tours in New York State since 1978. Herzig has extensive experience in the tour packaging industry with clientele such as Olson-Travelworld, Opryland, USA, the State of Illinois, and the City of Chicago, and presently has one of the largest cultural heritage tour package companies in upstate New York. He is also President of the New York Cultural Heritage Tourism Network. Reservations are still available for this all day symposium on March 19, 2015 at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY - by phone 315-521-3985 or email at info@nychtn.com. Reservations can be made through the Network website at www.NYCHTN.com. Space is limited to seventy-five people. The New York Cultural Heritage Network promotes the expansion of cultural heritage tourism through education and marketing to support its members throughout New York State. From its beginnings with nine attractions, membership has grown to over 120 from Albany to Buffalo and Corning to Malone, NY. Contact:
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