Tourism numbers show strength in Columbia County
HUDSON — Tourism continues to be a strong economic driver for Columbia County according to a recently released report.
In "The Economic Impact of Tourism in New York State," a survey was commissioned by New York State and prepared by the company Tourism Economics.
An analysis of 2015 data from Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester Counties shows how the tourism industry is very important to each county's local economies.
Of the six counties comprising the Hudson Valley region, Columbia County continues to grow its tourism sector having the highest percentage of its labor force supported by visitors than any other county in the Hudson Valley, according to findings in a recently released report.
"Clearly the county's tourism industry is growing and at a significant rate, and we're thrilled," Ann Cooper, the county's tourism administrator said.
The report stated Hudson Valley tourism spending is growing the fastest in Columbia County. The county had a 5.6% increase in spending and was the largest increase of any county in the Hudson Valley region.
Tourists spent over $130 million in the county in 2015 and tax revenues generated by tourists grew by close to 7 percent in Columbia County, which was also the largest percentage increase of any county in the region.
In the report, tourism spending includes food and beverage, transportation, lodging, retail and recreation as well as the second home market.
"Columbia County is a wonderful place to live, work or visit," Cooper said.
Cooper said although Westchester County attracts the bulk of visitor spending in the region, the county's tourism industry generates jobs and income.
She added Columbia County is the most dependent upon tourism with 7.2 percent of all labor income generated by visitors.
According to the report, travelers spent $3.4 billion in the Hudson Valley region in 2015 across a diverse range of sectors. The revenue supports 55,251 jobs.
Spending on food & beverages and transportation services comprised 28 percent and 21 percent, respectively, of the total amount. According to the report, traveler spending in the region increased 3.1 percent in 2015 across the region.
"The tourism industry undoubtedly plays an important role within the county and has a positive impact on our sales tax receipts," Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murrell said. "I'm pleased with the work our tourism department is doing and particularly all the effort that the county tourism industry businesses accomplish."
Data from the report stated tourism in the region generated $417 million in state and local taxes in 2015. Sales, property, and hotel bed taxes contributed to $227 million in local taxes.
Tourism Economics commissioned household travel surveys from the company, Longwoods International to establish traveler spending figures for the report.
According to the report, the survey represents "a sample of more than 300,000 trips per year. Industry data on lodging, airport activity, Amtrak, and attractions inform year-over-year growth analysis."
According to the Columbia County Tourism website, the county has "an abundance of theater, dance, and music options as well as all kinds of festivals fill the seasons with non-stop entertainment and has "over 50 public heritage sites capture the county's distinctive place in U.S. history."
Among the heritage sites in the county are the Olana State Historic Site in Greenport, the Martin Van Buren Historic Site in Kinderhook and the Clermont State Historic Site in Germantown.
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