WXXI: Monroe County Tourism Spending Up in 2007 (2008-08-26)

Despite a slowdown in the overall economy, figures from the state Department of Economic Development show that Monroe County's tourism revenues in 2007 were up 7.5 percent from 2006.

The study, done by the outside firm Tourism Economics, found that tourists had a $965.255 million dollars economic impact on Monroe County last year.

Announcing the numbers at the Monroe County airport Tuesday, County Executive Maggie Brooks says the increase affects the county's bottom line.

"Sixty-five million dollars was generated in local taxes to Monroe County in 2007 because of tourism, and over 20,000 jobs were created as a result of our tourism industry increases in 2007."

The spending measured in the report includes not just money spent directly by tourists, but also indirect spending (the spending that businesses do in order provide services and goods to tourists) and induced spending (the spending that's done with the proceeds of tourism dollars by employees and their families).

The report also shows that Monroe County does best among the Finger Lakes counties in recruiting tourism dollars. The county is responsible for 37 percent of the spending that comprises the $2.6 billion tourism industry in the Finger Lakes. Together, Monroe County and Onondaga County consumed 66 percent of Finger Lakes tourism dollars.

The biggest chunks of spending by tourists in Monroe County go to food and beverages, at $277 million, and lodging at $263 million. Ed Hall, president of the Greater Rochester Visitor's Association, says the majority of tourists come to Rochester for business purposes, like conventions or meetings. On average, tourists spend just over two days in Monroe County.

For the purpose of the report, a tourist is anyone who travels 50 miles or more to come to Monroe County for a reason other than commuting. That includes New York's northern neighbors. Hall says one of the next big target audiences for Monroe County tourism is Canadians from southern Ontario, who might want to take advantage of the near parity of the US and Canadian dollars.