Visitor spending in Oneida County is up more than 30 percent since 2009, and the county’s tourism promotion agency wants to know more about this billion-dollar plus component of the local economy.
Oneida County Tourism has hired Young Strategies, Inc., to conduct market research. President Kelly Blazosky seeks to learn more about what is working well when it comes to attracting visitors, as well as areas that could stand some improvement. Her expectation is that the results will give direction for future strategic planning. Results are expected by February.
Blazosky says it has been 13 years since professional tourism market research has been conducted in the county. One of the focal points will be an assessment of the impact of the Turning Stone Resort Casino in the town of Verona, which attracts about 4.5 million visitors a year.
The Board of Legislators agreed Wednesday to pay the $42,030 charged by the firm, which specializes in research and planning for the travel industry with an emphasis on destinations. It is based in Charlotte, N.C.
Travelers spent more than $1.23 billion in the county last year, up 4.9 percent from 2013, according to an annual study done for the state. The total was $951 million in 2009.
During a presentation for members of the legislature’s Economic Development and Tourism Committee on Monday, Blazosky reviewed some of the findings in the 2014 state tourism study. She said 19 percent of all employment Oneida County was sustained by visitors last year. The official also said that were it not for tourism-generated state and local taxes, the average household in the county would have to pay an additional $1,565 to maintain the same level of government services.
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