Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of a new interactive Adirondack recreation planning tool to promote tourism attractions in the Adirondack Region and spur economic development opportunities. The portal, found at www.VisitAdirondacks.com, was created in partnership between cross-regional organizations—The Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages (AATV), Center for Economic Growth, and Central Adirondack Partnership for the 21st Century—and funded through the Governor’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
“The trip planning portal we are unveiling today on VisitAdirondacks.com features all you need to know to plan a great trip to the Adirondacks,” Governor Cuomo said. “Spanning six million acres, the Adirondack Park is a vast region that has tremendous recreational and tourism opportunities for residents and visitors alike. With this website, we are making it easy for visitors to find and choose the activities and attractions they want to explore. I applaud all the partners who collaborated on this initiative that will boost our efforts to promote the local tourism industry and create new economic opportunities for the region.”
The Adirondack Park Recreation Web Portal will provide residents and travelers to New York’s six-million-acre park, which spans parts of the Capital, North Country and Mohawk Valley regions, with the ability to map their visit with a concise list of recreational opportunities, amenities, lodging, and restaurants, as well as off-the-beaten-path attractions and travel preferences, via the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council’s official website, VisitAdirondacks.com.
A mobile app is scheduled to launch in the coming weeks and will provide on-the-go users with the same planning options available on the portal.
Funding for the project was awarded by Empire State Development, through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative, as well as from the Capital Region’s Center for Economic Growth (CEG).
“The Adirondack Web Portal is exactly the type of project that exemplifies the regional economic development process and we are pleased to support this exciting initiative through the Governor’s Regional Council and CFA process,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams. “As a result of this cross-regional and collaborative effort, tourists, residents and businesses alike will benefit with increased connectivity and promotion of the Park’s assets, further spurring economic development and growth across a vast expanse of Upstate New York.”
“This project symbolizes the great strides our state has made in cross-regional collaboration. Members of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Economic Development Councils from the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, and North Country were eager to partner on this project as a means to leverage the Park’s recreational assets to promote economic development,” said F. Michael Tucker, President and CEO of CEG.
Adirondack Association of Towns & Villages President Brian Towers said, “The development of this interactive web portal and app is very exciting for the small towns & villages of the Adirondacks that play host to the Forest Preserve. The multitude of recreational opportunities that exist within those communities is unparalleled, and we believe that this tool will expose those less traveled areas of the Park to new visitors, thus leveraging the economic benefits associated with increased tourism.”
CAP-21 Executive Director Nicholas Rose said, “Almost all of travel planning now occurs via internet and related mobile applications. The Governor has worked diligently to raise the profile of the Adirondacks as a great place to live, work and play. The Adirondack web portal will build upon the Governor’s work and help promote the recreational assets that are located within this unique region. We are within a day’s drive of over 75 million people, and the Portal has just made it easier to Come Play and sample all the recreational wonders that the Adirondacks has to offer. It’s a big Park, and there is something for everyone.”
The portal includes 4,000 travel data sets that have been organized into a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate recreation and vacation planning tool. Travelers and residents can use the portal to discover the Adirondack Park’s unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities, such as finding trailheads and places to fish or paddle, including lists of boat launches, gear rentals, places to get licenses, or where to grab lunch.
Available via several access points on VisitAdirondacks.com, the recreational portal can be found on the homepage’s main menu (“Come Play”), at the bottom of the Outdoor Recreation page, and on the sidebar of the First Time Visitors page. With a single click, users can search and connect with data that is specifically targeted to them based on travel criteria, including:
· Family Travel
· Traveling with pets
· Handicap accessible
· Seasonal recreation
· Geographic areas within the park
· Recreation type (e.g. snowmobiling trails or downhill skiing and snowboarding)- With each selection made in the portal, the user is also presented with a list of what’s nearby, including recreation opportunities, lodging, dining, shopping, and other attractions.
Adaptive web design features of the web portal, and the soon-to-launch mobile-friendly app, will act as an essential resource for travelers accessing data from their desktops, tablets and smartphones alike.
“The Adirondack Park Recreation Web Portal and app provide easily accessible, timely data that will enhance each visitor’s experience in the Adirondacks while acting as a planning tool for the leisure traveler to map their next trip to the Adirondack Park,” said Saranac Lake native, Kimberly Finnigan, Esq., the project manager and attorney at Cooper Erving & Savage LLP.
The portal adopts strategies developed by the Adirondack Partnership’s Adirondack Park Recreation Strategy Group and was identified as a regional priority project by the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. The project will directly support key aspects of the strategic plans developed by the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, and North Country Regional Economic Development Councils, including the promotion of long-term investment, sustainability and revitalization within the North Country, Capital Region and the Mohawk Valley.
