Dutchess Tourism Expo Ulster

Dutchess and Ulster Tourism NY Destinations and Tourism Expo

April 12, Dutchess County Tourism and Ulster County Tourism join Destinations of New York (DONYS) as DONYS hosts its annual Group Travel Show at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel and Mid-Hudson Civic Center. In addition to the Expo, attendees will go on area familiarization tours and listen to seminars specifically for the group tour market.

Tourism is a $4.2 billion industry in the 10-county Hudson Valley region, generates $272.2 million in local taxes, and supports more than 80,277 jobs. In the Hudson Valley, food and beverages topped tourism expenses. Visitors to Dutchess County spent $451,584,000 in 2010. The tourism industry supports 8,717 jobs and generates $29.1 million in local taxes, and $27,996,000 in state taxes. The labor income was $244,743. These statistics are from a study of 2010 by consultants Tourism Economics.

Mary Kay Vrba, director of Dutchess County Tourism said, "We're so happy that DONYS tour planners have chosen Poughkeepsie as the site to have this Expo. We're able to show how the tourism industry in this market is vital to our regional economy. This is real opportunity for us to showcase the diversity of what we have to offer through history, the arts, food and the scenic outdoors. This gives us all a chance to showcase our many attractions to the nation and to the world.'

70 group tour and international receptive operators, and 180 group leaders, are in attendance at the annual Destinations of New York (DONYS) Group Travel Show. All types of attractions, transportation, accommodations and travel promotion agencies are exhibiting here at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie. Those companies will book group tour business for five or more years out, making a considerable return on their investment in attending the trade show. There are also tours being conducted for these attendees here and in surrounding counties.

"Trade shows deliver more than a great return on exhibitors' investments. Building relationships with colleagues is critical in any industry. And partnering with others is the best way for businesses to develop and accelerate growth," said Charley Daley of DONYS.

Peter Pantusso, President & CEO of the American Bus Association, is also in attendance to bring our local and congressional elected officials up to speed on what's going on in Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Nan Hayworth and representatives from U.S. Representative from Chris Gibson office in New York's 20th district are expected to attend a briefing today about news from the national front, along with the County Executives and Tourism Directors from four Hudson Valley counties (Dutchess, Ulster, Putnam & Westchester).

The American Bus Association (ABA) is North America's largest motorcoach, tour and travel trade association representing more than 65 percent of all motorcoaches on the highways. The ABA has more than 1,000 motorcoach owner and tour company members in the U.S .and Canada, as well as private travel related businesses, state and local government travel and tourism offices, state associations and other entities involved in promoting travel throughout North America. Total membership in the ABA is 3,800 members.

Dutchess County Tourism is funded by the occupancy tax collected by accommodations from visitors and returned the county as tax revenue (also known as the bed tax).

US TRAVEL AND TOURISM SPENDING GROWS IN 2010 DIRECT IMPACT
In April of 2011, the US Travel Association found domestic and international travelers spent $758.7 billion in the United States (US) in 2010, an increase of 7.7 percent over 2009. Of this total, $655.6 billion was spent by domestic travelers (7.4% increase from 2009) and $103.1 billion by international travelers to the US (9.8% increase from 2009). Real travel and tourism spending increased 3.7 percent in 2010, after two years of decline. Prices for travel goods and services increased 3.9 percent in 2010 after a decrease of 6.3 percent in 2009, according to the US Travel Association's Travel Price Index (TPI).

International travelers paid $31.3 billion to US air carriers on international passenger fares in 2010, an increase of 18.4 percent from 2009. Direct travel-supported employment decreased from 2009 (-0.2%) for the year 2010, after decreasing 4.3 percent in 2009. By comparison, total US non-farm employment decreased 0.8% for the year 2010. Travel expenditures directly generated $188.4 billion in payroll income for Americans, as well as $117.6 billion tax revenue for federal, state and local governments in 2010.

TOTAL IMPACT OF US TOURISM
Travelers produce "multiplier" impact on the US economy. In addition to the goods and services that are purchased directly by travelers, the inputs used to produce these goods and services are also purchased through travel industry business operators - indirect travel spending. Furthermore, as a result of spending in the areas by the employees of travel businesses and their suppliers, additional sales are generated - induced output. Total current-dollar travel related spending was $1.8 trillion in 2010. Total tourism-related employment was 14.1 million in 2010. This indicates that one in 9 US non-farm jobs are directly and indirectly relying on the travel and tourism. Total travel related employment consisted of 7.4 million direct tourism jobs - jobs where workers produce goods and services sold directly to visitors - and 6.8 million indirect and induced travel related jobs - jobs where workers produce goods and services used to produce what visitors buy and jobs supported by induced sales.

MOTORCOACH GROUP TOURISM ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY
Motorcoach based tourism generates as many as 1,056,750 jobs in communities across the US, paying almost $40.6 billion in wages and benefits (ABA).

DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT

    Jobs    Wages    Output
Motorcoaches:     6,141     $316,808,131     $461,786,924
Hotel/Lodging:    2,662    $166,857,579    $465,809,335
Restaurants/Bars:     5,561     $142,278,516     $372,502,209
Entertainment:     6,870     $310,138,182     $552,070,515
Retail:     473     $13,014,067     $107,754,580
Total    21,706    $949,096,475    $1,959,923,564

Dutchess County Tourism in #Poughkeepsie is a division of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation and is funded by the county of #Dutchess