LAKE GEORGE – The Haywards have traveled to Lake George every summer for over 50 years. Dutchess County retirees say they never missed a year, not even during the height of the pandemic, when they traveled to the lake and stayed in a trailer they’ve sold ever since.
On a 90-degree day last week, the Haywards were sitting in camp chairs under a tree near the boat’s speedboat on Lake George Beach. They had been sitting there for so long, enjoying the view of the fluffy clouds floating above the clear blue lake backed by wooded slopes, they said a half-jokingly biker offered to come back later just to make sure they were okay in the heat.
The otherwise relaxing day for the Haywards was also Janet Hayward’s 69th birthday. And while they planned to have dinner at Barnsider Smokehouse BBQ that night, their schedule was relatively tight. They would soon return to their room at the Fort William Henry Hotel to escape the afternoon sun.
Part of the reason for the light agenda was that they’ve done a lot of what there is to do on the lake in recent years. They rented boats with their children and grandchildren, took steam cruises.
“Now that the kids are grown, we relax,” said Janet Hayward.
Still, the Haywards’ minimal plans for this year’s Lake George trip appeared to be indicative of a broader trend of mid-season travel in upstate New York, based on figures collected last week from state agencies and travel agencies. tourism sites and in interviews with travelers, businesspeople, store employees and others in Lake George and Saratoga Springs.
The report showed travelers arriving in the region, but many are altering their behavior in order to save money once they arrive. Analysis of the numbers also points to the fact that specific activities such as concerts, festivals and sporting events are an added incentive for visitors, with ticket purchases and other commitments made months ago motivating summer travel, regardless of gas price, inflation or the current situation of the pandemic.
“From our national surveys that were taken around Memorial Day and the 4th of July holidays, we are seeing a return to ‘normal’ summer driving behavior despite high gas prices,” said Eric Stigberg, managing director. AAA Northway’s marketing, public affairs and government department, which had no local travel data available. “It looks like there’s a lot of pent-up demand and people are traveling despite gas prices, but they may be looking to save somewhere else. Shorter car trips, staying in a hotel instead of a condo or resort, eating fast food instead of fine dining are some examples.”
Across the region, hotels are having a strong summer. In Warren County, hotel demand in June was up 7.7% from last year. Year-to-date, demand increased 19.2%, according to Visit Lake George. June occupancy increased by 8.6% compared to last year, while year-to-date occupancy increased by 20.5% compared to last year. All of this translates into more hotel revenue in Warren County—a 12.9% increase in June compared to last June and a 30.7% year-to-date increase.
Saratoga hotels had similarly robust numbers, according to data provided by Discover Saratoga. Countywide, hotel occupancy in June rose 14.9%, while the average room rate rose 18%, from $135.43 to $159.86. Revenue per available room increased by nearly 36%, from $83.52 to $113.23. Saratoga Springs’ June occupancy rate increased 17.2%, with average room rates up nearly 20% to $182.95 and revenue in these rooms jumping more than 40% from $95.26 to $95.26. 133.43.
“We’ve seen a lot of leisure travelers in recent months enjoying the summer season,” said Darryl Leggieri, president of Discover Saratoga. “Gas prices and inflation don’t seem to hold them back much. There seems to be a good deal of trust as people are heading to Saratoga Springs.”
People also don’t seem to mind sleeping on the floor. Attendance at the state Department of Environmental Conservation camps is in pace with trends prior to the pandemic, when DEC recorded record visits, according to a DEC spokesperson. So far this summer, nearly 521,000 people have camped at DEC facilities, compared with more than 1.3 million last year and 977,237 the year before, according to figures provided by DEC.
Meanwhile, Fulton County also saw solid traffic, with more than 500 guests stopping for information at the Fulton County Visitor Center, according to Anne Boles, director of tourism development at the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“Nothing has slowed down,” Boles said. “It has been stable compared to last year.”
Erin McKernon is used to preparing for the 4th of July. DEC’s assistant supervisor at the boat launch at Lake George Beach, McKernon said she normally spends July 3 on her couch, preparing for the crowds she’ll see the next day. Last year, McKernon said there were 17 boats lined up outside the gates at 6 am.
In fact, the boat launch saw just 780 boats on July 4 compared to the typical 1,000 boats, said McKernon, who is working on his fifth season at the launch.
“Traffic was much lower this year. It’s like, where is everyone?”
Nick Lamando, manager of Hall’s Boat Corporation, which provides dry docking, storage, maintenance and repair of old wooden boats, has noticed a similar decrease in boat traffic on Lake George.
“I would say it’s 25% below what I was used to seeing,” said Lamando, who has worked on the lake for 16 years. “During the pandemic we were busier. The only thing people could do was go out on their boat because that was the only way to separate themselves from people. The general consensus of everyone working on the lake is that traffic appears to be at a low.”
Fuel costs are the likely culprit, said Lamando. The price of gasoline in New York was $4.62 at the time of writing. More expensive fuel means about an additional $100 for each afternoon on the boat, Lamando said.
Economic factors appear to be influencing people’s behavior in various ways in Lake George. This means that even though families can enjoy a day on the sand and water at Million Dollar Beach, which was packed on a 90-degree day this week, families can skip the boat ride or that scoop of ice cream.
“We’re talking to people who are saying that some of these economic factors are affecting things like how often people are eating out,” said Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and CVB. “Are they going to eat ice cream every day or are they going to a restaurant every day? The answer is they are not.”
Rick Connors, manager of the parking lot that serves the Lake George Steamboat Company, said he has seen traffic decrease this year, especially compared to last year, when Lake George may have benefited from being a largely open-air regional attraction.
“I haven’t looked at the exact numbers, but we had a standout season last season and I’m not getting over those numbers right now,” said Connors, who has worked on the lot since 1984. “Last year was the best year I’ve ever done.”
Store owners and employees in Lake George say they are seeing a decrease in foot traffic compared to last year.
“I’m seeing fewer people, definitely. In previous years, it was busier because a lot of people didn’t want to deal with COVID testing, so everyone stayed in New York [state], but now that there are fewer restrictions, everyone is going everywhere,” said Victoria Hayden, owner. of Hawaiian shaved ice.
Hayden said business is down about 25% compared to last year. She said price talks are inevitable.
“I’ve heard people talking about gas prices, food prices – everything is on the rise,” Hayden said.
Brooke Willett, 18, has worked in Lake George for four years.
“I feel like there are a lot fewer people than I’m used to and I don’t know why. I think maybe just because things are getting more expensive, travel is more expensive,” she said behind the counter of an empty gift shop on Beach Road, where she spends many summer days.
Mintzer said competition is likely a major factor for a place like Lake George, as some of the village’s visitors — think day trippers and lake house tenants — have simply gone elsewhere.
“This year you have a lot more competition back. You haven’t been able to go as many places last year as you can this year, so if you have the resources, you can travel to another state instead of being closer to home,” she said. “Last year, we saw so many people from New York State who could [otherwise] have gone further.”
Less than 30 miles south of Lake George, shopkeepers and workers in the heart of Saratoga Springs said this year had an especially strong start to summer.
“It’s a huge increase over the last few years with COVID and all,” said Jerritt Chura, head chef at Wheatfields Restaurant & Bar on Broadway. “People are going out and spending money again. It’s great.” Chura said dinner service this summer is over 300 a night, compared to about 200 last year.
Other companies are noticing a similar trend.
“June was probably my best June ever and more than I normally do in August,” said Heidi Owen West, who owns three stores downtown.
West said the increase in foot traffic coincides with the return of shows at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and during the track season. Therefore, an important factor that helps the spa town may be that much of its tourism is linked to scheduled events, such as concerts and the Saratoga Race Track, for which people often plan ahead.
“I think people have made their plans, and there are so many things to do in Saratoga Springs that are very unique,” said Leggieri of Discover Saratoga. “People have been planning their vacations for a while.”
The track starts fast. Leggieri said the New York Racing Association reported a 10% increase in opening weekend paid attendance this year over last year, from 94,078 in 2021 to 103,254 in 2022. weekend, from $14.39 million in 2021 to $17.06 million in 2022, an increase of 18.5% this year, according to Leggieri.
For what it’s worth, Lake George has also seen an increase in events this year, whether it’s business trips, weddings, softball tournaments or other activities.
“Events are back, which is a major weakness of the overall tourism economy,” Mintzer said.
Events appear to be thriving across the state.
For example, the eight-night, 400-mile Cycle the Erie Canal tour had a total capacity of 750 people for the first time since 2019, according to Dylan Carey, director of the Greenway Program at Parks and Trails New York. Participants traveled from 40 states and a few countries.
“Omicron grew over the winter, but I think people were still hopeful about the season, so they went ahead and planned things out and thought, ‘OK, let’s do this.’ are already underway,” said Jean Mackay, director of communications and outreach for the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund. “The events are really a great attraction for visitors to the canal and riverside communities. Last year events started to come back and this year we are seeing a robust supply. Interestingly, we are seeing a lot more events and hearing from people that these events were well attended.”
Identifying travel trends, especially mid-season, is arguably more art than science. For example, while a store owner in Lake George said the Fourth of July was busy, an employee at another store said the holiday was relatively dead.
And while boat traffic on Lake George appears to have slowed this summer, early-season boat traffic on the Eastern Channel system increased by 17%, from 11,779 to 13,795. (A spokesperson for New York State’s Canal Corporation said some short-term lock closures and other issues in the past year may have impacted the numbers.)
Roxene Levesque and her family didn’t necessarily fit this year’s country travel trend. A few feet from where the Haywards were sitting watching the water, Levesque helped her husband launch the boat — one of about 50 boats that have departed Lake George Beach so far that day.
The Levesques traveled three hours from Quebec with their two oldest children, and unlike the Haywards, the Levesques hadn’t taken a vacation in a few years and weren’t personally committed to visiting Lake George or attending any specific events.
“We just said it was the year. We work a lot, so we just said we’re going to take a week off,” said Levesque, who also said she and her husband work in transportation and therefore intimately understand the impact of high gas prices.
Their plan was to launch their black speedboat and simply enjoy time on the water with the family.
“It’s good weather, a good place,” Levesque said. “We’re just going for it.”
Andrew Waite can be reached at [email protected] and at 518-417-9338. Follow him on Twitter @UpstateWaite.
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