The survey gathered feedback from residents and business owners in Essex and Hamilton counties, as well as the villages of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, regarding their perceptions of tourism’s impact on the local economy and community.

The survey was designed to capture business owners’ and residents’ perceptions and opinions on various topics related to tourism in the region. It aims to uncover sentiments regarding tourism-related activities and their impacts that contribute to the local economy and social environment, as well as identify topics that may be sources of concern.

The survey questions were structured to elicit “agree” or “disagree” responses to gauge overall opinions. Additionally, several questions were open-ended, allowing respondents to provide further information and insights.

Key findings include:

— The vast majority of respondents (84%) believe that tourism positively impacts their community.

— A majority of respondents indicated that tourism benefits businesses (86%) and believe it boosts job opportunities (74%), an increase from 84% and 73%, respectively, in 2023.

— Business owners indicated that increased business during specific months would be beneficial, with May (61%) being the most frequently mentioned month.

— The majority of respondents (75%) agree that tourism positively impacts local amenities and activities, reflecting stronger agreement compared to previous years.

— A majority of respondents (69%) indicated that growing the year-round population is important to them.

— A majority of respondents agree that tourism increases housing costs in the region, with 75% sharing this view.

The survey also assessed some of tourism’s challenging impacts, such as higher housing costs and reduced community enjoyment. Dissatisfaction with these impacts increased by 3% to 5% in 2024, compared to 2023.

The percentage of people perceiving a negative impact from short-term rental properties in their neighborhoods increased by 5%.

Results underscore the importance of various initiatives undertaken within local communities, as well as those initiated by ROOST, to ensure the tourism economy has a positive impact. These initiatives include the Community Tourism Enhancement Fund, which provides funding to each of the 18 towns in Essex County to enhance the community for both residents and visitors, funded by a dedicated 2% Essex County occupancy tax. Additionally, an event committee was established to review large-scale events and implement recommendations to mitigate their impact on community members, along with the Love Your ADK initiative, which helps educate residents and visitors about ways to support the environment while enjoying outdoor recreation. Most recently, ROOST added an economic development position to assist with local initiatives involving workforce housing, state grant applications for community improvement and other projects designed to benefit Essex County residents.

“The resident sentiment survey is an important component of understanding the impacts of tourism on local residents,” stated ROOST President and CEO Dan Kelleher. “We appreciate that 84% of respondents affirm the overall benefits of tourism in our region, and we also recognize the important work ahead of us in continuing to assist our communities with housing, large-event mitigation and other destination management initiatives.”

According to ROOST Chief Operating Officer Mary Jane Lawrence, destination management and marketing organizations (DMMOs), such as the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, collaborate with local governments, organizations, communities and residents to strike a balance between economics of the local tourism industry and community needs. “To fulfill our role as a DMMO, it is important that local sentiment is clearly identified and understood,” she said.

Business owners and residents were invited to complete the survey via email, social media, news reports and local notices. A total of 734 surveys from residents and business owners, completed between Oct. 7 and Nov. 16, were included in the results, with a 4% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.

According to Layne Dowdall, data analyst at the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, overall community sentiment is more accurately gauged with a larger sample size. “We are pleased with the number of respondents. With any survey, we aim to achieve a sample size that provides accurate information and precise results, while minimizing the margin of error. Typically, we target a margin of error between 4% and 8% at a 95% confidence level, meaning the total population’s opinion is within 4% to 8% of the survey results.”

Those who participated in the survey were incentivized with the chance to win a VISA gift card through entry in a drawing.

Visit roostadk.com to find the full survey results. It is under the research tab.

uploads/2025/01/2024-Resident-and-Business-Sentiment-Survey-FINAL.pdf

uploads/2025/01/2024-Resident-and-Business-Sentiment-Survey-FINAL.pdf

uploads/2025/01/2024-Resident-and-Business-Sentiment-Survey-FINAL.pdf

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, as well as the communities of Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, and Saranac Lake, all located in the Adirondacks of New York state.