October 30 , 2006
Press Release from the Rockland County Department of Tourism with material added by Dylan Skriloff
New City, NY – The Rockland County Department of Tourism and the Rockland Business Association hosted a familiarization tour for fourteen motor coach tour operators on Sunday, October 22 – Tuesday, October 24.
The tour operators came from New York City, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to participate in the tour, which emphasized both Rockland's history and newer features such as the Palisades Center Mall.
"Rather than give them in depth tour of what they already knew, we gave them and in depth tour of what they didn't know. They didn't know how much revolutionary war history there was in Rockland. Normally such visitors would visit FDR's home in Hyde Park. They didn't know we had more history in Rockland, but scattered around the county," Heather Duke, Director of Rockland's Tourism Program said.
She said the tour received very positive feedback and she was hopeful that business would come in to the County as a result. She said the tour operators were interested in putting together a heritage tour, and noted that heritage visitors usually stay longer and spend more on their visits.
Duke said the tour was the result of "a newly formed consortium involving the Rockland County Department of Tourism and the Hospitality and Tourism Alliance of the RBA (RBAHTA). We decided to take up this activity to promote the County to those who have the ability to bring many tours to Rockland."
The Consortium is chaired by Greg Parseghian of the Best Western in Nyack, one of the participating hotels and chair of the RBAHTA. The other host involved was Comfort Inn. Transportation was provided by Coach USA, with the RBA covering the cost of the driver. According to Parseghian, the group's mission is to identify and create tourism opportunities to enhance economic growth and development in Rockland County.
"We learned that the County has an amazing number of day visitors. It is our hope to convert them to overnight visitors, thereby increasing direct tourism spending," Parseghian said.
Al Samuels, President/CEO of the RBA, pointed out that even though Rockland is the smallest county in the State (outside the boroughs of NYC), very often it exceeds the State's rate of tourism growth. "It is our intention to reinvent our consumer driven marketing program to the group sales market - the bus that brings in 40 people, rather than a car of three or four visitors. The expenditures triple when a person stays overnight."
The familiarization tour included visits to the
- Old '76 House
- the DeWint House
- Camp Shanks
- Piermont Pier
- the County Courthouse
- the Blauvelt House
- Matterhorn Nursery
- Rockland Bakery
- Dave & Buster's
- OPUS
- IMAX at the Palisades Center Mall
- Riverstone Antiques and Design Center
- Garnerville Arts & Industrial Center
- Stony Point Battlefield.
A short movie and an organ concert took place at the Lafayette Theatre and a Challenger Center launch was held for some outer space excitement. The villages of New City, Suffern, Nyack and Piermont were also toured.
Duke explained that Tourism has long been the second leading industry in most of NY State, second to agriculture. "Since Rockland lost much of its agriculture over the years, it is safe to say that Rockland's leading industry is Tourism. Strengthening this industry can only assist our economy."
For more information contact Heather Duke at (845)708-7300. |
Tour operators, with RBA and RCDT representatives, take a group photo in front of the Old '76 House before enjoying a kick-off brunch
Al Samuels and JT McLean, General manager, going over details prior to the group's arrival.
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