The Hudson Valley: A Mecca for Adventure and Agritourism
And You Don't Have To Be In The Travel Industry To Take Advantage Of It!
by June Bisel
Partner, BBG&G Advertising & Public Relations

At the recent Governor’s Tourism Conference on Lake George, attendees were “schooled” on the economic benefits of attracting tourism to our area. Two of the largest trends in tourism nationwide, we learned, are Adventure Tourism and Agritourism. Could we, in the Hudson Valley, get much luckier? Ours is the perfect destination for both. And with 80 million travelers within a three- to five-hour drive of our region, we would be foolish not to take advantage of this vacationing trend. Sadly, two-thirds of New Yorkers leave the state for their vacations, even when they only have three or four days to get away. If we could capture just a small percentage of these travelers along with the out-of-staters, imagine the economic impact it would have on our region.

What many businesses don’t realize is that they don’t necessarily have to be in the tourism industry to benefit from the economic impact of tourism. Tourists love to shop; they need to eat, sleep, buy gasoline, and occasionally seek out personal or auto-related emergency services. And, if they are anything like me, inevitably they will need to replace an important item that they failed to pack. Even tourists taking day trips to free destinations like our beautiful state parks will add to the local economy 80 percent of the time.

The popularity of Agritourism is great news for our farmers, in particular. Tourists want not only to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables, eggs from free-range chickens, and locally pressed wines, but they want to experience agritourism. They want to see and learn how food is grown, visit a dairy farm and watch cows being milked, pick their own apples, visit the wineries and touch the grapes in the vineyards... They want to dine at restaurants that offer locally grown fruits and vegetables, organic foods, and healthier eating options in general.

The New York State Division of Agricultural Protection is working hard to encourage tourism within the state. They have published a supplement on Agritourism entitled “New York by Rail,” which is filled with information both on Agritourism and about the rail system. This supplement is distributed on Amtrak Trains. Also developed to draw attention to Agritourism is the “Pride of New York” logo, which lets people know that products have been grown locally. This type of branding is important and local farmers should find ways to take advantage of it. It can give them the opportunity to be part of something much bigger, at little or no cost.

The refreshed “I Love New York” campaign is another branding initiative that the state is financing to the benefit of many businesses in our region. The new campaign reminds city dwellers of the adventures that await them upstate and educates tourists from other states to understand that the adventure in New York City is only the beginning. By incorporating the “I Love New York” logo into your advertising, you can benefit from the millions of dollars being spent to brand New York as a destination. Again, smaller businesses are being offered the chance to be part of something much larger.

“Adventure Tourism” brings to mind mountain climbing, parasailing, and white water rafting. And while all these activities are certainly adventurous, the tourists who participate in them (generally very physically fit 20-, 30- and early 40-year old challenge-seekers) are actually a very small percentage of adventure tourists.

The greater percentage of Adventure Tourists are those who seek “soft adventures.” The ideal vacation for this group (made up mostly of baby boomers), includes activities such as camping, biking, fishing, and horseback riding. That may not seem like big adventure to the 20-something age group, but for those of us who are 40 and over, just getting on a horse can be an adventure!

These soft adventure tourists enjoy comfort. They don’t want to rough it. They want great tour guides, gourmet meals, comfortable beds, hot tubs, and good shopping. Many don’t have time to do a lot of advance planning and research either. They are looking for the vacation package, all the components they are seeking offered in one very enticing bundle.

You can see now why you don’t necessarily have to be in the tourism industry to benefit from an increase in tourism to the Hudson Valley. Collaboration is key when it comes to luring vacationers to our area. Team up with other local businesses and offer tourism packages. Be creative! Adventure teamed with Agritourism gives us the opportunity to bring together local foods, artists, wine and beer, events, history … the makings of a vacation package that few regions can provide as readily as the Hudson Valley.

Day trip mini-adventures that take advantage of agritourism are especially popular with “workaholics.” These might include a half-day trail ride followed by a massage, a soak in the hot tub with a glass of locally pressed wine, and a gourmet meal made with local produce. Or how about a guided walking tour to one of our gorgeous mountain peaks, a helicopter that meets the group and quickly returns them to the base, and a local wine and cheese tasting that enables the group to discuss their shared experience before heading for home—and work the next morning. To those of us who have access to the mountain trails and to the great abundance of locally grown foods all the time, this may not seem like that much of a big deal, but for the city dweller who makes his ascensions by elevator to a cubby hole where he will work in front of a computer screen all day, this short trip could be life changing—or at least revitalizing.

A recent study by the Travel Industry Association of America and National Geographic Traveler on “sustainability matters” indicates that 55.1 million Americans want a unique and culturally authentic travel experience that protects and preserves the ecological and cultural environment. Here in the Hudson Valley we can easily give them one. We’ve got a great environment, a great history and heritage, and lots of attractions. Look around and see who your neighbors are. Partner with them in creating a unique travel destination. Pool your advertising dollars to market yourselves to your neighbors within a three –five -hour drive, and start cashing in on the large investment New York State is making to bring tourists your way.

June Bisel is a partner with BBG&G, a full service advertising, marketing, and public relations agency servicing a wide range of local and regional clients from healthcare and financial services to B2B, tourism destination, and franchise promotion industries. She can be reached at smartstrategies@bbggadv.com