Indian Lake, NY – A study conducted jointly by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) and the Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce confirms that snowmobilers contribute to Hamilton County communities by generating overnight stays at local hotels and motels, and dining in restaurants.
Of the snowmobilers who completed the survey, more than one-third of them stayed overnight, booking an average of 2.85 nights with an average party size of 4.2 people. They reported spending an average of $450 per day on lodging, meals, shopping, entertainment, attractions and transportation. The respondents who stayed with family or friends, or at their second home, reported an average expenditure of $321 per day, and day-trippers average $190 per day.
“The joint study by ROOST and the Town of Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce confirms that snowmobiling is a primary driver of winter tourism in Hamilton County,” said Darrin Harr, director of the Town of Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce. “These snowmobilers have ample money to spend at our businesses. Whatever we can do to get more snowmobilers here will further boost our winter economy.”
The 18-question survey, featuring questions about topics ranging from lodging arrangements and other activities they participated in to demographic profile questions, was primarily distributed via ilsnow.com (Indian Lake’s snowmobile website) and yielded 306 results.
“This survey further reinforces the point that snowmobiling is not only good for the Adirondacks, but for New York state tourism,” said Indian Lake Supervisor Brian Wells. “The leaders in Albany should understand the value of snowmobiling for the small communities inside the Blue Line and be working with local government to see communities connected by trails that are wide and safe.”
The study also suggests that travelers who come for snowmobiling have a slightly higher income than those who travel here for other recreational opportunities. Thirty-eight percent of day trippers report an annual household income between $80,000 and $124,999. Thirty percent of overnight guests reported to be in the same bracket. Twenty-five percent of overnight guests and 30 percent of those who stayed with family/friends or in their second home earned between $125,000 – $200,000. This skews higher than the average annual income of all travelers who reported $87,662 a year on the latest Leisure Travel Study.
“This information ensures that ROOST, as the destination marketing organization, will make informed decisions when constructing a marketing plan for snowmobiling in Hamilton County,” said Michelle Clement, ROOST’s Director of Marketing.
ROOST will continue to collect data on snowmobiling and its contribution to the Adirondack economy. This survey can serve as a baseline.
Click here to see survey results
