This web-page was built to help seekers explore tourism grant opportunities.

When visitors stay in hotels or bed and breakfasts located within Tompkins County’s borders, they pay a room tax. Those funds are collected from the innkeepers by Tompkins County government, which has created the Tompkins County Tourism Program.

These grants are designed to generate more room tax dollars, align with the strategic tourism plan, and offer visitors experiences worth revisiting.

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News Release

May 4, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Study Paints Detailed Picture of Tompkins Tourists

Ithaca, NY-- After two years of research, the Tompkins County Legislator's Strategic Tourism Planning Board and the Ithaca/Tompkins Convention and Visitors Bureau will unveil a report, May 4, documenting the motivations, spending habits and demographics of Tompkins County visitors.

The comprehensive research project used proprietary lodging data, public economic statistics, detailed surveys and hundreds of in-person interviews to create a statistically accurate profile of Tompkins visitors. The information is critical to the tourism community, local restaurant owners and specialty retailers who rely on visitors for a significant portion of their revenues.

Among the report's findings, the county attracted more than 840,000 visitors in 2009, generating $156 million in associated spending and supporting more than 2,300 jobs. Visitors spent an average $185 per person, per trip in 2009 with 35% of their spending going to food and drink, 28% to lodging and 25% to shopping. Visitors tend to be highly educated with high household incomes. Cornell, the county's gorges/waterfalls, the downtown Commons and the local dining scene are ranked as the top visitor attractions.

"This study validates many assumptions we've been making over the years and provides numbers to back them up," said Fred Bonn, director of the Ithaca/Tompkins visitors bureau. "You need hard data to make smart decisions and this report provides us real detail to move forward."

The comprehensive research project was commissioned by the county's Strategic Tourism Planning Board and funded by the county Tourism Program, with project management from the Ithaca/Tompkins CVB. Research firm Chmura Economics and Analytics conducted the study and authored the final report. The Chmura report is the first detailed look at Tompkins County visitors in almost a decade. The county last surveyed visitors in 2002.

The business community and interested members of the public are invited to attend the report release presentation, May 4, at the downtown Holiday Inn, 222 South Cayuga Street. Representatives from Chmura Economics and Analytics will outline the results, methodology and implications of the report. Event registration is free. Doors open at 8:30am. Program starts at 9:00.

Digital copies of the 135-page report will be distributed free of charge at the presentation, followed by an online release below. For information, contact Fred Bonn at the Visitors Bureau, (607) 272-1313, fred@visitithaca.com.

Click here for Executive Summary (8 pages)

Click here to read complete Study (135 pages)

Click here to view Chmura's May 4, 2010 Powerpoint Presentation