Tourism is a major business in the Adirondacks. McKibben Bill wrote in his book Wandering Home that raft trip was so exciting that he could even hear whoops and hollers of paying customers in the distance; William Henry’s advice and anecdotes on his camping trips in the Adirondacks also attracts thousands of people to come; Fort Ticonderoga museum, as a famous museum demonstrating America’s profound history, also acts as a leader in the economic vitality of the surrounding Adirondack region…… Whatever intrigued by historical value, amazing entertainment activities, or outdoor adventure opportunities, tourism is the key financial source of the Adirondacks. “It is estimated that around 12.4 million people visit the Adirondacks every year,” reported by Adirondack Council.
Tourism develops along with economic benefits. What kind of advantages tourism brings for different stakeholders in the Adirondacks? It’s very interesting to find out.
Local hotels are better off. Once people come to the Adirondacks for a trip, it is very common for them to live in commercial lodges for one or two nights. Take Fort Ticonderoga as an example. Analyzing by Magellan Strategy Group commissioned by NY, “54% of guests of Fort Ticonderoga spent at least one night in hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, rental cabins, etc,” which generates a great amount of income for the commercial lodging industry. Without tourism, it would be very difficult for those lodging enterprises to make profits in such a rural region.
Small enterprises in the Adirondacks can not only make a living but also create some profits. Local retailers are willing to diversify the food and make some value-added food due to the rising of tourism industry. For example, some households make honey, maple products, cheese, wine, jams, jellies, and other condiments by hand, catching many customers’ attention because hand-made food is rare and precious for those coming from big cities such as New York, where manufacturing is the major method of production. Other enterprises including recreational centers also taste the fruit of tourism progression. Entertainment can take many forms. In the Adirondacks, hiking is the most popular reported outdoor activity, followed by canoeing and kayaking, skiing and snowboarding, and the ever more popular cycling, as investigated by the Adirondack Committee. People can make money by constructing recreational infrastructure, innovating exciting outdoor activities, and getting money from selling tickets or rental fees.
Development in different industries to some extent alleviates unemployment problem of the Adirondacks. Labors are in various needs: some clean up trashes on trails, some help with hotel management, some drive rafts to help visitors go around, some maintain biodiversity by protecting species from any dangers…… In general, the employment rate of Adirondack park town had increased from 47.8% in 1970 to 53.6% in 2010, decreasing local government’s burden on unemployment subsidies and relating expenditures. When it becomes easier for residents to find a job in tourism industry, the region has huge labor force momentum to aid in further progress of the Adirondacks.
Today, living in harmony with the wilderness is getting increasingly popular and being regarded as a way to get out of stressful workplace environments. The tourism prospect of the Adirondack could be promising as humans’ demands for outdoor recreational activities are increasing. Who can resist the fresh air, beautiful scenery, and relaxed feeling?
Cited resources:
- The Adirondack Economic Impact Analysis:
https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Magellan-FtTiconderoga_EconomicImpactAnalysis-071817-low-res.pdf - McKibben, Bill. Wandering Home: A Long Walk Across America’s Most Hopeful Landscape. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2014.
- Food:
https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2014/02/food-local-farms-even-winter.html - Employment trend:
https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2019/06/40-years-of-employment-trends-in-the-adirondacks.html