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Updated: March 15, 2024 @ 11:10 am
Tourism is big business in Cattaraugus County — very big business.
In 2022, the latest year for which the statistics were available, the county reported tourism spending of $297.5 million, eclipsing Chautauqua County’s by $4 million.
The 2022 total for tourism-related spending was $376 million more than in 2021 and 124% above 2019 spending, according to Crystal Abers, director of the Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism.
Abers said there are 4,301 jobs in the county dependent on tourism, representing about 14.7% of county employment.
“Tourism is a big driver of Cattaraugus County’s economy,” Abers said. “It’s not just recreation and entertainment, it’s gas and food sales at convenience stores. It helps all our little businesses from restaurants to bars to convenience stores. Most of it is from people visiting from outside the county.”
The “Big Three” tourism draws include Allegany State park, the Seneca Allegany Casino and Ellicottville, Abers said.
The Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism allocates a portion of the county’s bed tax to Chambers of Commerce in Ellicottville, Olean and Salamanca to spend on advertising tourism-related events.
The department also has a pot of money from the bed tax it uses to promote and advertise not for profit and municipal events events outside of Olean, Salamanca and Ellicottville.
While the “heavy hitters” like the state park, the casino and all things Ellicottville from skiing and snowboarding to village nightlife may be flashy,. “There are a lot of hidden gems in the county from hiking trails, kayaking, breweries
and the Amish Trai,” Abers said.
The eclipse on April 8 is another example of the Tourism Department’s support for local events expected to draw visitors from out of the area. The county is promoting it and distributed thousands of eclipse glasses for the event.
“We just try to keep above all of it,” Abers said of tourism promotion. “Wde work with small organizations to let people know what is going on. We try to get the word out to help everyone throughout the county.”
The Amish Trail, which the county has been promoting for several years, “has had a big impact in that area of western Cattaraugus County,” Abers said.
Not only do Amish businesses get advertising through Amish Trail promotions, but other businesses along the trail are advertised as well, Abers said. “They are as original as it gets,” she added.
The Amish drive horse-drawn buggies not cars and trucks and do not have electricity or telephones in their homes. Visitors are asked to respect their wishes not have their faces photographed, Abers said.
Give their slow-moving buggies a wide berth — and be especially watchful on the roads at night. Many of the black buggies have lamps in the front, but only a reflective triangle on the back.
“It’s about the experience,” said Abers. “That’s what we want visitors to remember.”
Cattaraugus County does its share of promoting tourism at the Onoville Marina on the Allegheny Reservoir, which it operates under lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The county offers more than 100 campsites and 400 slips for boats, many of which belong to out-of-county residents.
You can find it all in the Enchanted Mountains in the rolling foothills of the Allegheny Mountains.
There is literally something for everyone: skiing and snowboarding, snowmobiling, camping, horseback riding, sleigh rides, bowling, galleries and art spaces, biking and mountain biking, fishing, snowshoeing, snow tubing, skating, hinting and cross country skiing for starters.
There are dozens of events in municipalities around the county each year which also draw visitors both local and from outside the county.
The county is also brimming with examples of agri-tourism at agtour.com. The site lists dozens of participating farms that welcome visitors. Topping the list is Pumpkinville, the seasonal destination spot for families from inside and outside the county.
For more information about county tourism, check the website EnchantedMountains.com, as well as AmishTrail.com and HistoryPath.com for more tourism-related ideas.
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