State Park attendance increases
KEUKA PARK, WATKINS GLEN--The Keuka Lake State Park has seen an 8 percent increase in summer attendance over last year. Deputy Public Information Officer with the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Dan Keefe said the park saw a total of 64,939 visitors between Memorial Day and Labor Day, an increase of 8 percent more than the 59,935 visitors during the same time period last year.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo also announced Friday, Sept. 5 that New York State parks, historic sites and campgrounds hosted nearly 36 million visits from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, representing a 2 percent increase in attendance over the same summer period in 2013. Gains in day use and campground visitors helped increase state revenue.
Keefe attributes this growth to efforts by the governor's office to promote the state parks system and market them as a visitor destination.
"New York is home to some of the most breathtaking natural settings in the country, and as today's numbers show, more people are coming to appreciate all that the Empire State has to offer," Cuomo said. "When people see the tremendous natural beauty of New York's parks and outdoor spaces, they fall in love and spend both time and money here, and that translates to jobs and new opportunities for New Yorkers."
The Watkins Glen State Park in Schuyler County also recorded an increase of 15 percent during the same time period, going from 464,897 visitors last year to 535,020.
Nearly 35 million people visited facilities operated by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation beginning Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day 2014, compared to 34.2 million visitors during the same period in 2013. State campgrounds were also busy, with 470,334 overnight stays at campgrounds operated by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, up 2 percent from 460,315 overnight stays during the 2013 season.
"We had a great summer filled with swimming, camping, golfing, hiking and sightseeing at our parks and historic sites," said Rose Harvey, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. "New York is fortunate to have such high-quality state parks and historic sites across the state, and these visitation numbers reflect Governor Cuomo's strong efforts to improve and promote the state's tremendous outdoor recreation facilities."
At a May Tourism Summit, the governor announced the state's commitment of $45 million to promote tourism, create jobs and attract even more visitors to the Empire State. The 50 percent increase in state funding over the last year gives New York one of the largest state-funded tourism programs in the nation.
Additionally, the governor included a third round of $90 million in New York Works funding for improvements to state parks and historic sites in the 2014-15 state budget. Launched by the governor in 2012, New York Works is advancing repair and improvement projects at 109 state parks and historic sites.
Outdoor recreation has a significant impact on the New York's economy. A study by the Outdoor Industry Association found that outdoor recreation generates $33.8 billion in consumer spending in New York, directly supporting 305,000 jobs. |
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