Once the holiday season winds down, so does most people's inclination to travel.
The Citizen file photo
Sled trails lead the way to good ice fishing spots used by other ice fishermen on the north end of Owasco Lake. Though the weather hasn't cooperated this year, many people flock to the Finger Lakes for great fishing possibilities.
Sled trails lead the way to good ice fishing spots used by other ice fishermen on the north end of Owasco Lake. Though the weather hasn't cooperated this year, many people flock to the Finger Lakes for great fishing possibilities.
But area tourism professionals are no longer content to weather the slowdown.
Hotels, wineries, restaurants and stores throughout the Finger Lakes are turning to promotions, sales, special events and activities to draw in people from around the region during the winter months.
The Inn in the Fingerlakes general manager Jackie Lewis says packages usually aren't enough to attract travelers to the area, so the staff turns to promoting the Auburn hotel at special events to bring participants into the city.
Director of sales Sue Rose tries to find niche activities happening during the quiet times, mostly January through April. The 77-room inn welcomes animals, which makes it a haven when dog shows come to the region.
Once there, staff members can point guests to the Bass Pro Shops, wineries, specialty shops and fine dining around Cayuga County.
Normally hotels stay pretty quiet during the first part of the year. After the holiday bustle of guests visiting family members and shoppers out for the perfect finds, most hotels wait for the next rush in the spring, Lewis said.
The hotel's clients usually change from tourist and leisure guests to people with either family or business in the area during the early part of the year.
Rose was surprised to find the inn was a bastion for shoppers, mostly from Canada. Auburn is close to Skaneateles, the Waterloo Outlets, Carousel Mall and the Fingerlakes Mall. Lewis says one reason people continue to come to Cayuga is the welcome they get from the residents.
“I go by how many people let me out of the driveway here,” Lewis said. “People are always waving me out, some even back up.”
Meg Vanek, director of the Cayuga County Office of Tourism, says tourism drops everywhere in January and February around Cayuga County.
The weather can frighten some visitors away, but some of the county's attractions aren't open in the cold months, anyway.
One of the best-attended attractions is often not thought of as a tourist spot - the Fair Haven Beach State Park. This is open year-round, as is the nearby Sterling Nature Center.
Some people stop in the county to use the accommodations before they go downhill skiing in Cortland or Ontario counties. However, this year's lack of snow may chase away some of the weekend slope skiers.
For those who are looking forward to the winter white, the county offers two ice fishing contests. Last year, the two events were canceled after the warmer temperatures didn't allow solid ice to form.
The promotional manager for Bass Pro Shops Sportsman's Center George Fiorille is hoping the Ice Fishing Derby will get a chance this year. Two years ago, the event drew in 500 people.
“We're hoping it'll happen this year,” Fiorille said. “It's not looking too good, but we are (optimistic).”
The Auburn business scheduled it for Feb. 24 on Owasco Lake.
Screwy Louie's Sport Shop also has an ice fishing derby in February, when the weather permits. The Fair Haven business also had to cancel its contest last year.
Bass Pro offers a series of seminars and workshops throughout the year that are not reliant of the weather. Sportsmen come from around the region to learn about hunters' safety, the science behind pheromones and the art of fly tying.
Vanek points to the deals people can find during the off-season.
Aurora Inn tries to keep people in its rooms with special promotions such as the Winter Wonderland package.
The hotel offers special prices Monday through Wednesday through the end of January. Couples can spend quiet winter evenings at the historical inn near fireplaces and enjoy package extras such as massages.
“Our guests are certainly much more leisure and travel oriented, but we get fewer business types,” said Sue Edinger, general manager of Aurora Inn. However, the inn often hosts business retreats during the winter.
The staff regularly welcomes both local guests and those from farther away. The inn offers a package for Aurora residents to promote a getaway.
Typical winter driving causes people to stay more in the region, Edinger said.
However, she's not complaining about the mild winter. The Aurora Inn Restaurant drew in 75 people for lunch on a day that was clear and the roads were snow free.
“From our perspective, it's better,” she said. “If there was a snow storm, you wouldn't have had that many people.”
While the weather may play a part in people staying in the region, they have plenty of choices of places to spend their time.
“What we sell is a three-point (experience), relax, refocus, relive. These concepts play well both in the winter and summer,” Edinger said.
The area has a lot to do with who they serve as well.
Aurora houses MacKenzie-Childs, which draws people 12 months a year, Edinger said. Bear Swamp is nearby, as well as Skaneateles. The inn also see a lot of hunters who want to spend their days trekking through the forest and their evenings enjoying fine dinning and a massage.
“Summer guests are looking for water (recreation) and that's where the lake comes into place,” Edinger said. “We have people coming year-round for the wineries.”
A movement over the past three years to generate business throughout the years has keep the majority of regional vineyards open throughout the winter months. Individual wineries or the Cayuga Wine Trail offer a variety of events to remind regional customers they are still open.
The Cayuga Wine Trail offers a colorful Mardi Gras event in February, and four other wine tours during the year. The individual wineries organize activities during the early part of the year.
The number of customers change with the seasons, said Paul King, a wine maker for the Six Mile Vineyards. The difference also shows in wine sales. Wineries typically sell less in the early part of the year when there are fewer tourists going to state parks and schools are in session, he said.
“I think that's mostly a reflection of the tourists,” King said. “Most of our business is through the wineries and there's more visitation in the spring and summer.”
He points to the holidays and times when colleges bring families into the area, such as graduations and parents weekends.
The trail's winter activities are designed to mostly draw in regional and residential customers.
“These are return customers and regional people that stop by for special events,” King said.
“I think people are always looking for fun thing to do in the region, it's a way to advertise for sure, but it's a way for people to get out here,” King said.
Six Mile Creek Vineyard is kicking off the “Winter Wine Speak at the Creek” on Jan. 20.
Cayuga Wine Trail, Inc. Director Cathy Millspaugh said winter business is more for the regional residents who are willing to drive a couple hours from places such as Binghamton, Rochester and Buffalo.
They are trying to build up more traffic during the winter months to combat the misconception that wineries are closed during the winter, she said. While a handful do shutter for the early part of the year, the majority of the vineyards welcome visitors and tasters during winter; a change that has taken place over the past three years, Millspaugh said.
While Wine and Herb is the organization's biggest event, the fastest growing is Mardi Gras. The celebration on Feb. 24 and 25 is in the sixth year, and has brought 1,200 people, doubled from the first year.
Another popular event is the Between the Lakes Winter Wine Party, which takes wineries on the east side of Cayuga Lake and west side of Seneca Lake.
She said people affected by winter breaks, such as teachers or parents, consider day trips to or overnight stays near wineries perfect mini-vacations.
“They may not want to go down south, so this is a different avenue for them,” Millspaugh said. “Especially with a lot of packages that come with the accommodations.”
For teetotalers with fascination for the outdoors, the Sterling Nature Center offers programs such as watching and feeding birds. The Owl Prowl is one example of naturalist Jim D'Angelo introducing people to the outdoors.
He will host a hike to search for wildlife signs at 1 p.m. Jan. 20, using tracks and traces of wildlife to identify them.
People can even rent winterized cabins at the Fair Haven Beach State Park and to enjoy the delights of the nearby Sterling Nature Center for days.
Vanek's office promotes these happenings and activities but would love more resources to keep the Web site updated and increase marketing.
The state is facing unknown changes as Albany welcome its new players. Gov. Eliot Spitzer stepped into his role Jan. 1 and one of his first duties is to appoint his staff, including the Division of Tourism members.
Spitzer has said repeatedly he wants to rejuvenate the sluggish economy of upstate New York.
Vanek is optimistic, but knows the incoming staff members will have their own ideas and priorities. However, Spitzer said he wants to better upstate and attract more people to the region.
“We don't know what the budget is for the tourism for (this) year,” she said.
Cayuga County has 960 people employed for the tourism industry. This includes a portion of hotel and restaurant workers, transportation and retail. Wineries workers are not counted because they are put in the agricultural category.
The county Office of Tourism receives 95 percent of the taxes collected for the occupancy taxes, which was up about 6.5 percent at the end of the third quarter.
If Vanek gets her wish, the county will have more money to improve the visibility of the Web site on search engines and other directories. Another potential use of this money is to create an electronic newsletter for their partners, including retailers, hotels, wineries and restaurants.
With an increase in funds, they could bring in more travel writers for tours.
She wouldn't mind more workers either. Vanek is the only full-time staff member. She also has two part-time workers, and a third worker who is on a need-only basis.
The most important improvement the office needs is a technology person to bring in new articles, make interactive information, update data bases and enhance electronic marketing campaigns.
While the office won't collect the numbers for the individual attractions, they don't expect to see any change from last year.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be contacted at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
Hotels, wineries, restaurants and stores throughout the Finger Lakes are turning to promotions, sales, special events and activities to draw in people from around the region during the winter months.
The Inn in the Fingerlakes general manager Jackie Lewis says packages usually aren't enough to attract travelers to the area, so the staff turns to promoting the Auburn hotel at special events to bring participants into the city.
Director of sales Sue Rose tries to find niche activities happening during the quiet times, mostly January through April. The 77-room inn welcomes animals, which makes it a haven when dog shows come to the region.
Once there, staff members can point guests to the Bass Pro Shops, wineries, specialty shops and fine dining around Cayuga County.
Normally hotels stay pretty quiet during the first part of the year. After the holiday bustle of guests visiting family members and shoppers out for the perfect finds, most hotels wait for the next rush in the spring, Lewis said.
The hotel's clients usually change from tourist and leisure guests to people with either family or business in the area during the early part of the year.
Rose was surprised to find the inn was a bastion for shoppers, mostly from Canada. Auburn is close to Skaneateles, the Waterloo Outlets, Carousel Mall and the Fingerlakes Mall. Lewis says one reason people continue to come to Cayuga is the welcome they get from the residents.
“I go by how many people let me out of the driveway here,” Lewis said. “People are always waving me out, some even back up.”
Meg Vanek, director of the Cayuga County Office of Tourism, says tourism drops everywhere in January and February around Cayuga County.
The weather can frighten some visitors away, but some of the county's attractions aren't open in the cold months, anyway.
One of the best-attended attractions is often not thought of as a tourist spot - the Fair Haven Beach State Park. This is open year-round, as is the nearby Sterling Nature Center.
Some people stop in the county to use the accommodations before they go downhill skiing in Cortland or Ontario counties. However, this year's lack of snow may chase away some of the weekend slope skiers.
For those who are looking forward to the winter white, the county offers two ice fishing contests. Last year, the two events were canceled after the warmer temperatures didn't allow solid ice to form.
The promotional manager for Bass Pro Shops Sportsman's Center George Fiorille is hoping the Ice Fishing Derby will get a chance this year. Two years ago, the event drew in 500 people.
“We're hoping it'll happen this year,” Fiorille said. “It's not looking too good, but we are (optimistic).”
The Auburn business scheduled it for Feb. 24 on Owasco Lake.
Screwy Louie's Sport Shop also has an ice fishing derby in February, when the weather permits. The Fair Haven business also had to cancel its contest last year.
Bass Pro offers a series of seminars and workshops throughout the year that are not reliant of the weather. Sportsmen come from around the region to learn about hunters' safety, the science behind pheromones and the art of fly tying.
Vanek points to the deals people can find during the off-season.
Aurora Inn tries to keep people in its rooms with special promotions such as the Winter Wonderland package.
The hotel offers special prices Monday through Wednesday through the end of January. Couples can spend quiet winter evenings at the historical inn near fireplaces and enjoy package extras such as massages.
“Our guests are certainly much more leisure and travel oriented, but we get fewer business types,” said Sue Edinger, general manager of Aurora Inn. However, the inn often hosts business retreats during the winter.
The staff regularly welcomes both local guests and those from farther away. The inn offers a package for Aurora residents to promote a getaway.
Typical winter driving causes people to stay more in the region, Edinger said.
However, she's not complaining about the mild winter. The Aurora Inn Restaurant drew in 75 people for lunch on a day that was clear and the roads were snow free.
“From our perspective, it's better,” she said. “If there was a snow storm, you wouldn't have had that many people.”
While the weather may play a part in people staying in the region, they have plenty of choices of places to spend their time.
“What we sell is a three-point (experience), relax, refocus, relive. These concepts play well both in the winter and summer,” Edinger said.
The area has a lot to do with who they serve as well.
Aurora houses MacKenzie-Childs, which draws people 12 months a year, Edinger said. Bear Swamp is nearby, as well as Skaneateles. The inn also see a lot of hunters who want to spend their days trekking through the forest and their evenings enjoying fine dinning and a massage.
“Summer guests are looking for water (recreation) and that's where the lake comes into place,” Edinger said. “We have people coming year-round for the wineries.”
A movement over the past three years to generate business throughout the years has keep the majority of regional vineyards open throughout the winter months. Individual wineries or the Cayuga Wine Trail offer a variety of events to remind regional customers they are still open.
The Cayuga Wine Trail offers a colorful Mardi Gras event in February, and four other wine tours during the year. The individual wineries organize activities during the early part of the year.
The number of customers change with the seasons, said Paul King, a wine maker for the Six Mile Vineyards. The difference also shows in wine sales. Wineries typically sell less in the early part of the year when there are fewer tourists going to state parks and schools are in session, he said.
“I think that's mostly a reflection of the tourists,” King said. “Most of our business is through the wineries and there's more visitation in the spring and summer.”
He points to the holidays and times when colleges bring families into the area, such as graduations and parents weekends.
The trail's winter activities are designed to mostly draw in regional and residential customers.
“These are return customers and regional people that stop by for special events,” King said.
“I think people are always looking for fun thing to do in the region, it's a way to advertise for sure, but it's a way for people to get out here,” King said.
Six Mile Creek Vineyard is kicking off the “Winter Wine Speak at the Creek” on Jan. 20.
Cayuga Wine Trail, Inc. Director Cathy Millspaugh said winter business is more for the regional residents who are willing to drive a couple hours from places such as Binghamton, Rochester and Buffalo.
They are trying to build up more traffic during the winter months to combat the misconception that wineries are closed during the winter, she said. While a handful do shutter for the early part of the year, the majority of the vineyards welcome visitors and tasters during winter; a change that has taken place over the past three years, Millspaugh said.
While Wine and Herb is the organization's biggest event, the fastest growing is Mardi Gras. The celebration on Feb. 24 and 25 is in the sixth year, and has brought 1,200 people, doubled from the first year.
Another popular event is the Between the Lakes Winter Wine Party, which takes wineries on the east side of Cayuga Lake and west side of Seneca Lake.
She said people affected by winter breaks, such as teachers or parents, consider day trips to or overnight stays near wineries perfect mini-vacations.
“They may not want to go down south, so this is a different avenue for them,” Millspaugh said. “Especially with a lot of packages that come with the accommodations.”
For teetotalers with fascination for the outdoors, the Sterling Nature Center offers programs such as watching and feeding birds. The Owl Prowl is one example of naturalist Jim D'Angelo introducing people to the outdoors.
He will host a hike to search for wildlife signs at 1 p.m. Jan. 20, using tracks and traces of wildlife to identify them.
People can even rent winterized cabins at the Fair Haven Beach State Park and to enjoy the delights of the nearby Sterling Nature Center for days.
Vanek's office promotes these happenings and activities but would love more resources to keep the Web site updated and increase marketing.
The state is facing unknown changes as Albany welcome its new players. Gov. Eliot Spitzer stepped into his role Jan. 1 and one of his first duties is to appoint his staff, including the Division of Tourism members.
Spitzer has said repeatedly he wants to rejuvenate the sluggish economy of upstate New York.
Vanek is optimistic, but knows the incoming staff members will have their own ideas and priorities. However, Spitzer said he wants to better upstate and attract more people to the region.
“We don't know what the budget is for the tourism for (this) year,” she said.
Cayuga County has 960 people employed for the tourism industry. This includes a portion of hotel and restaurant workers, transportation and retail. Wineries workers are not counted because they are put in the agricultural category.
The county Office of Tourism receives 95 percent of the taxes collected for the occupancy taxes, which was up about 6.5 percent at the end of the third quarter.
If Vanek gets her wish, the county will have more money to improve the visibility of the Web site on search engines and other directories. Another potential use of this money is to create an electronic newsletter for their partners, including retailers, hotels, wineries and restaurants.
With an increase in funds, they could bring in more travel writers for tours.
She wouldn't mind more workers either. Vanek is the only full-time staff member. She also has two part-time workers, and a third worker who is on a need-only basis.
The most important improvement the office needs is a technology person to bring in new articles, make interactive information, update data bases and enhance electronic marketing campaigns.
While the office won't collect the numbers for the individual attractions, they don't expect to see any change from last year.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be contacted at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
