Dutchess Tourism Hosts Free Lunch & Learn Seminars

From Dutchess Tourism: Dutchess Tourism, Inc. (DTI) will host a series of five Lunch & Learn Seminars on Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. beginning March 15th and running through April 12th, 2017. These free seminars are geared toward tourism-related businesses and participants are encouraged to bring their lunches to eat while they listen to the presentation. There will also be time for networking with other participants and the speakers.

“This is the fourth year we’ve run this very popular series and we’re excited to add new topics that haven’t been covered before,” said Dutchess Tourism Vice President Melaine Rottkamp. “Our goal is to continue to provide Dutchess County’s tourism businesses with the support they need to be successful and these seminars are just one of the many ways we do that.”

On March 15, Chuck Heinz from Minuteman Press will speak on advertising, marketing and PR at the Spring Hill Suites Residence Inn in Fishkill. Heinz has over 24 years of corporate marketing experience with Fortune 100 companies and will teach attendees how to leverage those components for maximum business success.

Professional photographer Mary Ann Glass from RiverWinds Gallery will teach basic photographic principles and how to get great pictures for promotion with just a cell phone. This March 22 seminar will take place at the Boardman Road Branch of the Poughkeepsie Library District.

Participants will be encouraged to Think DIFFERENTLY on March 29 when Jeanine Byrnes and Patrick Muller from Taconic Resources for Independence teach disability etiquette at the Wallace Center at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum in Hyde Park.

Merritt Bookstore in Millbrook will host Dutchess Tourism staff members Melaine Rottkamp and Dawn Hopper on April 5. Rottkamp will help participants learn how to tell their story and differentiate their businesses and Hopper will offer instruction on ways to maximize their impact at trade shows and events.

Andrea Rhodes from Gig Marketing will conduct a very interactive presentation and give participants advice on how to perfect their branding and messaging at The Rhinecliff on April 12.

To learn more about DTI’s Lunch & Learn series, visit www.dutchesstourism.com. To RSVP, please email mrottkamp@dutchesstourism.com or call (845)463-5432. Those interested do not have to attend all five presentations in order to participate.

Tourism has a significant economic impact in Dutchess County, where more than 4.5 million people visit annually and spend an average of $528 million on lodging, food, shopping, and area attractions. Tourism is New York’s fourth largest industry.

The DTI office is located at 3 Neptune Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie with 18 Tourism Information Centers located around Dutchess County. Their website is www.DutchessTourism.com and they can be reached at 845-463-4000. Dutchess County Tourism was founded in 1984 under the umbrella of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation, became incorporated as Dutchess Tourism, Inc. in 2014 and is partially funded by monies received from the County of Dutchess.

Image courtesy of Dutchess Tourism