New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSHTA)

What New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSHTA) does

New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSHTA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1887 and headquartered in Albany, New York, that represents the lodging, tourism, and attractions industry across the state. Its membership base of more than 1,000 entities spans hotels, motels, resorts, bed-and-breakfasts, campgrounds, ski areas, attractions, and destination marketing organizations (DMOs), which it serves through advocacy, education, networking, and industry promotion. The association is governed by a board of 40+ directors drawn from member properties and partner organizations, with day-to-day operations led by a small professional staff of approximately 6 to 10 employees and supported by external lobbying and legal counsel.

NYSHTA's business model is funded primarily through membership dues, event registration and sponsorship revenue, contributions to its affiliated NYS Hospitality & Tourism Education Foundation, and preferred-partner program fees paid by vetted vendor members. The association monetizes member engagement through annual conferences, regional events, webinars, and recognition programs such as the Stars of the Industry Awards, while delivering non-dues value through regulatory advocacy, training, and member discounts. It does not develop proprietary technology products; operational infrastructure consists of standard association management software (Yelp-like vendor matching is offered as a member benefit, but no internally built platform generates revenue). Revenue diversification across dues, events, and partnerships produces a recurring but lumpy income stream tied to annual membership cycles and event calendars.

The organization's strategic posture centers on legislative advocacy in Albany and coordination with national bodies such as the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA), and I LOVE NY. Recent emphasis areas include implementation of the state's 2025 short-term rental registration law, workforce development, and tourism promotion. NYSHTA functions as a collective-action vehicle for a fragmented SMB-heavy industry rather than a transactional enterprise, and its competitive position rests on incumbency, government access, and member network density rather than product differentiation.

Name

New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSHTA)

Legal name

New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association

Website

https://nyshta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NYSHTA is a 137-year-old Albany-based non-profit trade association serving over 1,000 lodging, tourism, and attraction members across New York State through legislative advocacy, education, events, and preferred-vendor partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from over 1,000 members including hotels, motels, resorts, bed & breakfasts, attractions, and tourism-related businesses. Dues are not tax deductible as charitable contributions; approximately 13% of dues are attributed to lobbying activity.
2. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events including the Hospitality Summit, Stars of the Industry Awards, legislative receptions, and the annual Day at the Races fundraiser. Sponsorships provide brand visibility and access to industry decision-makers.
3. Events Revenue: Registration fees for events including the annual Hospitality Summit, educational conferences, legislative networking receptions, and the Day at the Races Foundation Fundraiser.
4. Education Foundation Contributions: Voluntary contributions to the Fred and Gertrude England Hospitality Education Foundation, which provides scholarships to hospitality students and professionals. Donations are separate from membership dues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NYSHTA is a membership-based trade association that provides legislative advocacy, education, networking events, and member savings programs to over 1,000 hospitality and tourism businesses across New York State. It acts as the unified industry voice before state government in Albany, organizes events such as the annual Hospitality Summit and Stars of the Industry Awards, delivers compliance-focused webinars, administers scholarships through its Education Foundation, and offers Preferred Partnership discounts with vetted industry vendors.

Product overview

NYSHTA is a membership-based trade association for New York State's hospitality and tourism industry, founded in 1887. Rather than a unified software product, NYSHTA offers a portfolio of member services including: Advocacy (legislative representation before state government), Events (Hospitality Summit, Stars of the Industry Awards, regional legislative receptions), Education (webinars on compliance topics), Member Savings Programs (Preferred Partnerships with vendors), Scholarship Programs (through the Fred and Gertrude England Hospitality Education Foundation), and Tourism Promotion (NYS Destinations platform). The organization serves over 1,000 members across hotels, resorts, attractions, and other tourism sector businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy Services Legislative representation and lobbying services for hospitality and tourism businesses before New York State government, addressing issues such as short-term rentals, ADA website legislation, matching grants, swipe fees, junk fees, data privacy, and tourism improvement districts.
• Events and Networking Programs Annual industry events including the Hospitality Summit, Stars of the Industry Awards, Legislative Networking Receptions across multiple regions (Chautauqua, Dutchess, 1000 Islands, Catskills, Capital Region, Central NY), Advocacy Conference, Tourism Advocacy Day, and Day at the Races Foundation Fundraiser.
• Education and Webinars In-person and virtual educational resources including webinars on ADA website lawsuits, tax credit opportunities, cyber insurance, PPP and SBA loans, ICE raids and government visits, immigration compliance, and hospitality labor law compliance.
• Preferred Partnership Member Savings Program Discounted vendor services for NYSHTA members through Preferred Partnerships with vetted industry vendors spanning legal services, payment processing, insurance, energy, hospitality technology, telecommunications, HR services, financial services, and sustainability.
• Fred and Gertrude England Hospitality Education Foundation Scholarships Scholarship program administered through the NYSHTA Education Foundation offering Professional Development Scholarships covering 50% of activity costs up to $1,000 and Student Scholarships of $1,500 per semester for full-time students (max $6,000) and $750 per semester for part-time students (max $6,000), with senior-year students receiving $1,500 per semester up to $3,000.
• NYS Destinations Tourism Promotion Platform Online tourism promotion platform featuring 20 destinations across New York State with information on meetings, group tours, sports events, and RFP submission capabilities to drive group business to member destinations.

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered preferred partner, industry partner, key partner, venue partner, regional partner, national partner, state partner and legal counsel.

• Barclay Damonpreferred partnerOthersLaw firm providing legal services to the hospitality and tourism industry with multidisciplinary teams knowledgeable about complex legal issues affecting the sector. Contact: Scott Rogoff at [email protected] or (585) 295-4418
• Beacon Mobilitypreferred partnerOthersFamily of transportation companies providing tailored mobility solutions. Employs over 20,000 employees across 30 partner companies, running 14,000 vehicles serving customers in 25 states.
• Ecolabpreferred partnerOthersGlobal sustainability leader offering water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. Provides comprehensive science-based solutions for food safety, clean environments, and operational efficiencies.
• Ferguson Facilities Supplypreferred partnerOthersProvides maintenance, renovation, and cleaning & hygiene supplies to facilities management professionals. Has 48 locations in New York and over 1,500+ locations across the United States.
• Gallagherpreferred partnerOthersInsurance and consulting firm offering customer-focused and technology-forward solutions for real estate and hospitality businesses worldwide. Contact: Nick Esposito at [email protected] or (518) 391-2221
• Global Paymentspreferred partnerTechnology or IntegrationPayment technology and software company powering commerce for businesses worldwide. Manages trillions in payments volume and billions of transactions across more than 175 countries.
• PeopleSystemspreferred partnerOthersHR solutions provider specializing in pre-employment testing and unemployment cost control. Works to reduce unemployment expenses by 25 to 30 percent for clients.
• SiteMinderpreferred partnerTechnology or IntegrationGlobal hotel technology leader providing the leading guest acquisition and revenue platform for hotels. Trusted by more than 50,000 hoteliers worldwide.
• Kings III Emergency Communicationsindustry partnerTechnology or IntegrationEmergency communication solutions for hotels, resorts, and extended stay properties. Provides 24/7 emergency response service for elevators, pools, parking garages, and other emergency call points.
• Sprague Operating Resourcespreferred partnerOthersEnergy company operating since 1870, offering on-demand energy consulting, market insight, and customized solutions. NYSHTA members eligible for free Energy Savings Analysis.
• Fenimore Asset Managementpreferred partnerOthersIndependent investment manager with more than $4.6 billion in assets under management (as of December 31, 2021). Offers customized separately managed accounts and mutual funds.
• Emerald Ecovationspreferred partnerOthersSustainable disposables provider launched in 1997, offering over 370 sustainable solutions for everyday essentials. Helps businesses achieve sustainability goals with environmental impact reporting.
• Efficiency Pluspreferred partnerOthersConcierge energy solutions provider focusing on proactive planning, ongoing monitoring, and expert guidance for energy efficiency projects. Helps reduce carbon emissions and unlock revenue streams.
• Spectrum Businesspreferred partnerOthersConnectivity solutions provider delivering fiber connectivity, security, networking, voice, collaboration and TV services. Backed by 100% US-built Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network.
• Procellpreferred partnerOthersPower solutions provider dedicated to high-performance power solutions for professionals. Specializes in energy for battery-operated devices with solutions extending device lifespan.
• New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA)key partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for the annual Hospitality Summit, bringing together hospitality and restaurant professionals for networking, education, and industry events. Joint events and advocacy on shared industry concerns.
• Turning Stone Resort Casinovenue partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual venue for NYSHTA's Hospitality Summit and Stars of the Industry Awards. Located in Verona, NY, the resort provides conference facilities and accommodations for association events.
• The Otesaga Hotelvenue partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperstown venue for Stars of the Industry Awards events. Historic hotel providing elegant conference and event space for annual awards ceremony.
• Woodcliff Hotel & Spavenue partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRochester venue for 2024 Hospitality Summit, providing conference facilities and hospitality for industry events.
• Chautauqua County Visitors Bureauregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization partnering on legislative networking reception events. Co-hosts industry events to advocate for shared tourism priorities.
• Campground Owners of NY (CONY)regional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerStatewide organization representing campground owners, partnering on legislative and tourism advocacy initiatives.
• Destination Dutchessregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty tourism organization partnering on legislative networking events and tourism promotion efforts.
• 1000 Islands International Tourism Councilregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization partnering on legislative receptions and advocacy for the 1000 Islands region.
• Oneida County Tourismregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty tourism organization hosting legislative breakfast events. Partner for regional tourism advocacy and industry events.
• Discover Albanyregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization partnering on Capital Region legislative breakfast events and tourism advocacy.
• Discover Saratogaregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization partnering on Capital Region events and tourism promotion.
• Discover Schenectadyregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization partnering on Capital Region legislative events.
• Sullivan Catskills Visitors Associationregional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization hosting Catskills legislative breakfast and partnering on tourism advocacy.
• New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC)key partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted webinar on short-term rental law implementation. Strategic partner in advocating for tax collection from short-term rentals and level playing field for regulated hospitality businesses.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)national partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational hospitality industry association partnering on advocacy conferences and policy discussions. Joint efforts on industry-wide legislative priorities.
• I LOVE NYstate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York State's official tourism marketing program. NYSHTA advocates for I LOVE NY funding as part of its legislative priorities.
• Greenberg Traurig, LLPlegal counselOthersLaw firm providing lobbying and legal counsel services. Sam NeJame serves as NYSHTA's Lobbyist and Legal Counsel from Greenberg Traurig.

Scale indicators5 records

Direct peers

• Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA): IHLA is a statewide lodging trade association with parallel advocacy, education, and event programs to NYSHTA, serving a comparable mix of urban and destination hospitality members.
• Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC): HANYC is the primary NYC lodging trade association, directly comparable to NYSHTA in mission (advocacy, education, networking) and operating model (membership dues, events, government relations), though focused on NYC rather than statewide.
• Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (FHLA): FHLA represents Florida lodging properties with the same core service mix of legislative advocacy, education, and events as NYSHTA, making it a structurally analogous state-level trade association.
• Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA): PRLA serves as Pennsylvania's combined restaurant and lodging association — closely parallel to NYSHTA's structure with a 501(c)(6) trade model, member dues, advocacy, and events.
• New Jersey Hotel & Lodging Association: NJLHA is a regional Northeast lodging association directly comparable to NYSHTA in mission, structure, and regional policy environment, with overlapping industry membership profiles.
• Massachusetts Lodging Association: The Massachusetts Lodging Association represents lodging properties statewide with advocacy, education, and member benefits analogous to NYSHTA's service portfolio.
• Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association: OHLA is the statewide lodging association for Ohio, structured comparably to NYSHTA with advocacy, networking events, preferred partner programs, and educational resources for member properties.
• California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA): CHLA is the statewide lodging association for California with a comparable advocacy, education, and membership model to NYSHTA, scaled to a similarly large state lodging market.
• Texas Hotel & Lodging Association (THLA): THLA is the statewide lodging industry association in Texas, offering comparable services (advocacy, education, networking, preferred partnerships) and serving a similar broad-based lodging membership across a large state.

Broad incumbents

• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA): AHLA is the national umbrella trade association for the U.S. lodging industry. NYSHTA already partners with AHLA on advocacy and conferences, making it the closest broad-incumbent peer with overlapping federal-level legislative priorities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nyshta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSHTA)