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County seeks tourism boost
By Francesca Olsen
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
The Columbia County Lodging Association has a recommendation to make to the county Planning, Economic Development and Tourism Department: Take what we have, and build on it.
This means use what the county already has, in terms of lodging, food and attractions, and publicize it in a more fluid way, connecting business owners to county projects through active communication. Members of the Lodging Association, including president Laura Lappies and members Steele Andrews and Paul M. Barrett, say this will help draw people to the county not only during heavy tourism seasons, but when visitors are really needed.
“Everything in tourism is about making your community a better place to live,” Andrews said. “It’s the most important form of export. It’s all money coming in!”
Much of the county’s lodging is sold out every weekend, especially during busy seasons like the summer months, but, “on average, it’s pushing about 40 percent for our better properties. That means six out of ten nights, those rooms are empty,” said Andrews, who owns and operates Silvanus Lodge in Hillsdale.
To fill up rooms, and bring more tourism income into the county, county tourism needs to take a multi-faceted approach, Andrews said, looking at ways to market to those over age 65, and ways to attract people during the week. “There’s a big market out there we never even try to attract,” he said.
The Association sent a survey to its 40 members and developed some responses, which Andrews has presented to County Chairman of Planning and Economic Development Ken Flood, as a response to Flood’s request for tourism objectives from local business involved with the tourism economy.
The first item on the agenda is leadership, and the second is communication: a quarterly newsletter to all tourism-related businesses, full disclosure of the tourism budget and expenses, and a five-year marketing plan.
“Look at the county as a whole,” Andrews said. “What would be good for the entire thing? We try to see this big picture of what the whole county has to offer.”
Additionally, said Andrews, the county needs some branding, starting with a logo that’s easy to recognize and a “comprehensive vision” outlining why exactly Columbia County is a tourism destination. “If all of us had something we could lock into without all this negativity the county has to have the courage to be the leader,” said Andrews.
Flood said his own objectives for the 2010 tourism budget include a “comprehensive marketing strategy”, including a logo and tagline. In the past, he said, the tourism budget funded mostly individual events, but now, “we’re trying to bring groups together to market in partnership.”
“We’re identifying our audience,” he added. “Do we get more people from the Capital Region, or more from New York City? Once we identify where we can draw best from, we then have a marketing strategy that can target those audiences.”
The Lodging Association also suggested attracting large demographics, like people over age 65, to the region specifically. Flood said he had a plan. “You have to go to travel shows, where bus tour operators go to, so you can attract bus tours,” he said, adding that one-day bus trips might be a promising tourism idea. “I think our best bet is to partner with Dutchess County,” he said, suggesting a possible tour of the FDR home in Hyde Park and Olana, mixed in with some antiquing.
“We need to be serious about public relations,” Andrews said, adding that travel writers and editors should be sent releases and information about county tourism opportunities, hopefully generating articles in various travel publications.
“We absolutely have to do it,” Flood agreed. “As much as we possibly can. You look at all the articles that are written in and about the Hudson Valley — we need to make sure those articles keep getting written.”
Business sponsorship could be a key as well. Tourism budgets, Andrews said, can be subsidized by sponsorship from local business owners, widening the array of names and opportunities available in any given tourism booklet, and helping to offset costs.
The county tourism department distributed 30,000 food guides and 70,000 travel guides this year, Andrews said, but distributed them separately. Flood said the county plans to tie them together for 2010.
“We are more than likely going to go out for a request for proposal for the travel guide,” Flood said. “We’ll be looking to the lodging association, to many of their members, for sponsorships in the travel guide.”
“I think there’s misconception that we need something new,” Andrews said.
“It’s how to make mid-week more attractive,” said Paul Barrett, the proprietor of the Country Squire Bed and Breakfast in Hudson. “We need to give them a reason to be here, and there’s plenty of reasons.”
Flood said the probability of county government coming up with a mid-week strategy was low. “The county will not come up with a strategy...we don’t have the expertise,” he said. “We need their expertise. We need them to work with us.”
“You have two different roles here. Our role is leadership in terms of coordinating, helping funding, helping doing,” Flood said. “They’re the ones that need to communicate that Columbia County is a great place to come and visit. I see it as a joint thing.”
“There’s so much to see and do in Columbia County,” said Laura Lappies, who runs Churchill House Bed and Breakfast in New Lebanon. Lappies grew up in Alaska, and said when she moved to the area, she was surprised how much there was, since she was used to remote areas where it took five and a half hours to get to town.
Andrews said he hopes the climate for tourism improves in the county, and that the county government will work with business owners to improve it. “I can’t make a profit if we don’t make things better,” he said.
***
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com.
This means use what the county already has, in terms of lodging, food and attractions, and publicize it in a more fluid way, connecting business owners to county projects through active communication. Members of the Lodging Association, including president Laura Lappies and members Steele Andrews and Paul M. Barrett, say this will help draw people to the county not only during heavy tourism seasons, but when visitors are really needed.
“Everything in tourism is about making your community a better place to live,” Andrews said. “It’s the most important form of export. It’s all money coming in!”
Much of the county’s lodging is sold out every weekend, especially during busy seasons like the summer months, but, “on average, it’s pushing about 40 percent for our better properties. That means six out of ten nights, those rooms are empty,” said Andrews, who owns and operates Silvanus Lodge in Hillsdale.
To fill up rooms, and bring more tourism income into the county, county tourism needs to take a multi-faceted approach, Andrews said, looking at ways to market to those over age 65, and ways to attract people during the week. “There’s a big market out there we never even try to attract,” he said.
The Association sent a survey to its 40 members and developed some responses, which Andrews has presented to County Chairman of Planning and Economic Development Ken Flood, as a response to Flood’s request for tourism objectives from local business involved with the tourism economy.
The first item on the agenda is leadership, and the second is communication: a quarterly newsletter to all tourism-related businesses, full disclosure of the tourism budget and expenses, and a five-year marketing plan.
“Look at the county as a whole,” Andrews said. “What would be good for the entire thing? We try to see this big picture of what the whole county has to offer.”
Additionally, said Andrews, the county needs some branding, starting with a logo that’s easy to recognize and a “comprehensive vision” outlining why exactly Columbia County is a tourism destination. “If all of us had something we could lock into without all this negativity the county has to have the courage to be the leader,” said Andrews.
Flood said his own objectives for the 2010 tourism budget include a “comprehensive marketing strategy”, including a logo and tagline. In the past, he said, the tourism budget funded mostly individual events, but now, “we’re trying to bring groups together to market in partnership.”
“We’re identifying our audience,” he added. “Do we get more people from the Capital Region, or more from New York City? Once we identify where we can draw best from, we then have a marketing strategy that can target those audiences.”
The Lodging Association also suggested attracting large demographics, like people over age 65, to the region specifically. Flood said he had a plan. “You have to go to travel shows, where bus tour operators go to, so you can attract bus tours,” he said, adding that one-day bus trips might be a promising tourism idea. “I think our best bet is to partner with Dutchess County,” he said, suggesting a possible tour of the FDR home in Hyde Park and Olana, mixed in with some antiquing.
“We need to be serious about public relations,” Andrews said, adding that travel writers and editors should be sent releases and information about county tourism opportunities, hopefully generating articles in various travel publications.
“We absolutely have to do it,” Flood agreed. “As much as we possibly can. You look at all the articles that are written in and about the Hudson Valley — we need to make sure those articles keep getting written.”
Business sponsorship could be a key as well. Tourism budgets, Andrews said, can be subsidized by sponsorship from local business owners, widening the array of names and opportunities available in any given tourism booklet, and helping to offset costs.
The county tourism department distributed 30,000 food guides and 70,000 travel guides this year, Andrews said, but distributed them separately. Flood said the county plans to tie them together for 2010.
“We are more than likely going to go out for a request for proposal for the travel guide,” Flood said. “We’ll be looking to the lodging association, to many of their members, for sponsorships in the travel guide.”
“I think there’s misconception that we need something new,” Andrews said.
“It’s how to make mid-week more attractive,” said Paul Barrett, the proprietor of the Country Squire Bed and Breakfast in Hudson. “We need to give them a reason to be here, and there’s plenty of reasons.”
Flood said the probability of county government coming up with a mid-week strategy was low. “The county will not come up with a strategy...we don’t have the expertise,” he said. “We need their expertise. We need them to work with us.”
“You have two different roles here. Our role is leadership in terms of coordinating, helping funding, helping doing,” Flood said. “They’re the ones that need to communicate that Columbia County is a great place to come and visit. I see it as a joint thing.”
“There’s so much to see and do in Columbia County,” said Laura Lappies, who runs Churchill House Bed and Breakfast in New Lebanon. Lappies grew up in Alaska, and said when she moved to the area, she was surprised how much there was, since she was used to remote areas where it took five and a half hours to get to town.
Andrews said he hopes the climate for tourism improves in the county, and that the county government will work with business owners to improve it. “I can’t make a profit if we don’t make things better,” he said.
***
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com.
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