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June 12, 2009

Essex County tourism staying level

By LOHR McKINSTRY

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

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