Sullivan County Tourism Sees Green

Oct. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Ferndale, NY- The leaves may be turning orange and red in Sullivan County Catskills, but Sullivan County’s tourism industry is seeing green, as in dollars. And lots of them according to an official report to the Sullivan County Visitors Association (SCVA) sponsored by NY State:  "The Economic Impact of Tourism in New York - 2010."  Prepared independently by Oxford Tourism Economics, the state wide study revealed that in 2010, Sullivan County had a 10.7% increase in tourism expenditures over 2009, and an overall 5.9% increase over 2008.

Of the ten counties that make up the two dominant areas north and northwest of NY City, Sullivan outpaced all other counties in percentage increase in tourism spending in 2010 over 2009, and the two year comparison over 2008.

The Catskills Region is comprised of Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster. The Hudson Valley Region has the counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester.

Out of these ten counties Sullivan ranks fifth in 2010 in generated tourism spending with $345.1 million in visitor spending that grew over 10.7% in 2010 outpacing even the State increase of 8.4%.  

With Tourism the fifth largest employment sector in NY State, Sullivan County has invested heavily in its greatest asset: the pristine mountains and lakes, and the jewel of the area, the Delaware River.  And the investment is returning dividends in ways no one could have foreseen.  This investment has consistently returned over $20 million in local taxes and $20 million in State taxes each year.  Without tourism in Sullivan County each household would have to pay an additional $1,386.00 in property taxes.

After showing an increase of 12% visitor spending in 2008 over 2007, one of only three counties in NYS to have this type of increase, 2009 showed a 4.4% decrease as the recession took its toll on visitor discretionary spending.  However, this was still a win for Sullivan County as NYS saw a drop of 13.4% and many of the neighboring counties were in double digit drops as well.  When you compare the growth of visitor spending from 2008-2010, Sullivan County saw an overall growth of 5.9%.  Comparing neighboring counties over this same two year time frame, although most showing growth in 2010 over 2009, all but one, Delaware, are still in negative percentages for growth from 2008-2010.

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The Sullivan County Visitors Association is a Destination Marketing Organization dedicated to promoting the Sullivan County Catskills