By LOHR McKINSTRY and KIM SMITH DEDAM
Staff Writers
ELIZABETHTOWN —
Visitor numbers to date match the best year ever in Essex County this summer, according to the Lake Placid-based Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism.
Business owners call it a Perfect Storm to match the Perfect Day campaign launched in Lake Placid this past spring.
Late Friday, Essex County occupancy-tax tabulation through July rung in 13 percent year-to-date ahead of last year, running even with 2008, which was the best tourism season ever recorded.
STAYING CLOSER
ROOST President James McKenna told Essex County supervisors recently that a plethora of public events and people staying closer to home for leisure activities may have helped draw travelers to the region.
"It seems like the summer is doing pretty well overall. It seems that our numbers reflect, at this point, that we're ahead of last year in (occupancy-tax) collections."
The county charges a 3-percent tax on rooms, which raises more than $1 million a year that the Office of Sustainable Tourism, formerly the Lake Placid-Essex County Visitors Bureau, uses to market the region to potential visitors.
The best year for the bed tax was 2008, McKenna said.
"From what we heard, a lot of people are saying that they had a pretty strong July, and it looks like August has started off that way.
"Some of the larger events that we do seem to have close to capacity this year, more so than other years."
CRUCIAL MONTHS
The months of July, August and September are the backbone of the tourism year, he said.
"We'll certainly know a little bit more as these months go. The interest seems to be up in leisure travel."
Many tourism-related businesses he had talked with said they're doing well.
"I know people are still making last-minute decisions. But we're optimistic that it's going to continue to be a good summer. So far, some of the reports that we heard from folks, especially around the Fourth of July weekend, were really nice."
'GREAT SUMMER'
Visiting Lake Placid Friday, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said he spent several days this summer vacationing in Lake Placid in a trip that coincided with the summer excursion of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
The two senators had an impromptu dinner with their families at Tail-o-the-Pup in Ray Brook and celebrated the time with a snapshot.
Schumer told a group of tourism and business leaders that he asked around how local business owners were doing this summer.
"Everyone said the same — it's been a great summer."
RETURN BUSINESS
Business owners in Lake Placid marked a rise in commerce over the past few months, compared to last year.
Bob Peacock at A Touch of Glass said this summer was better than last.
And return visits are an important part of the tourism mix.
"The area is just a nice place. You don't meet anybody very often that doesn't like it here," Peacock said.
"It's not a question of 'if' they'll be back, but when."
Mike Beglin at Beglin's Lake Placid Jewelers on Main Street confirmed pedestrian traffic on the village streets was busy.
"Traffic on the street was strong, and some of it filtered into retail."
WEATHER HELPED
This summer brought perfect weather, quite the opposite from stormy summer of 2009.
The dynamic atmosphere feeds local business.
"You have to understand Main Street is one of the main cylinders that runs the engine," Beglin said.
"Local traffic is strong, and tourists are used to seeing that type of activity. The village has always reinvested in Main Street."
VENUE VISITORS
The Olympic venues were busy, too.
Olympic Regional Development Authority spokesman Jon Lundin said it's been a great year all around.
"We're hearing from shop owners and lodging business it's been a banner year. The weather has been ideal, and people have been able to get out and vacation. They found their way to Placid."
Lundin suggested maybe some of the tourism boost is a carry-over from the Olympic Winter Games.
"Lake Placid seems to have benefited the most from the Olympic news last February in Vancouver. People seemed to be saying, 'Hey, we have to revisit or discover that place'."
SALES-TAX FUNDS
Although county occupancy-tax collection is up, sales-tax revenue is about the same as last year, according to Essex County Treasurer Michael Diskin.
"We are close to getting even with last year, even with the money we have distributed out to the towns."
He said the County Board of Supervisors decided to give one-quarter percent of sales-tax receipts back to towns and villages, and that amounts to about $773,500 so far.
"So with that, it does bring (sales-tax revenue) down, but as far as actual receipts we are just about even for the year."
The county collected about $23 million last year from its 3.75-percent sales tax.
The county has requested authority from the State Legislature to levy an extra one-quarter-percent sales tax, but the measure hasn't been approved yet.
E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com
