Essex County tourism staying level

Local News

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.

comments powered by Disqus

June 12, 2009

By LOHR McKINSTRY The Press Republican Fri May 14, 2010, 08:05 PM EDT

ELIZABETHTOWN — One member of the Essex County Board of Supervisors thinks they should stop talking about the bad economy reducing tourism.

Meanwhile, the county's tourism chief, Lake Placid-Essex County Visitors Bureau President James McKenna, says it's probably too early to tell if tourism will be down substantially this year.

"There's one clear trend we're starting to see, and that is there is no trend. Everybody sort of feels because of closeness to the metropolitan areas, we're going to do all right. I'm pretty optimistic overall."

He said some places are offering inexpensive travel packages that may bring more visitors.

"Areas that are struggling are trying to pull out all the stops."

One factor that may boost tourism is using social networking sites and other Internet-based marketing to get the message out, rather than TV and radio advertising.

"Traditional communications are not working as strongly anymore," McKenna said.

Supervisor Thomas Scozzafava (R-Moriah) said he drove his motorcycle to the Lake George Americade and found far fewer bikes than last year.

The Americade usually gets about 50,000 registrations.

He said information was released that the Americade had only a 5-percent drop in registrations, but there was a 50-percent drop in retail business in Lake George's downtown from last year's Americade week.

Supervisor Robert C. Dedrick (R-Ticonderoga) said many Americade motorcycles stopped in Ticonderoga during the event.

"They give them (Americade tours) a reduced rate at Fort Ti, which they never did before."

Supervisor Randy Preston (I-Wilmington) said he doesn't feel the Board of Supervisors should be discussing tourism decreases.

"Everybody being so negative on the economy isn't necessarily something we should be putting out on the street. It's not gloom and doom, and I personally don't think we should continue to paint that."

Lake Placid had a great Memorial Day weekend, he said.

"It's not as bad as everybody is putting out there."

So far this year, Essex County sales-tax collection is down 12 percent, and occupancy-tax receipts are down 7.9 percent.

E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com