I Love New York

Ready to race in the Third Annual Adirondack Challenge, Sunday July 19th

North Creek Rafting's support team, Nate (above) and the Howards (below). Photos by Nate Pelton

The rafts line up on the path down to the water.

Raft guides await rafters from all over New York State.

Governor Andrew Cuomo arrives on a school bus.

The Governor greets guides and fellow racers on his way down to the water.

The Governor introduces his daughter.

He adjusts his helmet.

Reporters receive last second safety tips.

And we're off to paddle the Indian River!

Mark Erler also races for North Creek Rafting.

Governor Cuomo: “Tourism is serious business”

by Pete DeMola

"North Creek-area river guides said they’ve seen upticks in business since the state launched a sustained tourism push four years ago, including large investments in advertising, the development of new mobile apps and massive publicity events like the Adirondack Challenge, which always comes with a wave of publicity for a region that had historically complained about being overlooked.

Becky Pelton, of North Creek Rafting Company, said it was huge for someone like New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to take a trip down the river three years ago.

That inspired a wave of new adventure seekers.

“These were women in their 60s who never thought about getting on a raft before,” she said.

Business is now booming, she said, including clients from India and China who book trips.

According to figures provided by the governor’s office, the Adirondack Park generated $1.29 billion in direct spending and $159 million in state and local taxes last year. The industry supports 21,203 jobs, or 17.9 percent of all employment in the region, and $590 million in labor income.

Sen. Little said the growth in tourism is spurring the creation of new businesses, which are then fed and sustained by returning tourists.

“We’re seeing new economic life here, not just in the tourism business, but interest in people coming here to start new businesses,” she said.

Crucial to this are the regional economic development council funds that are handed down each year.

The North Country has landed $338 million in state investment dollars since the initiative was launched four years ago.

Read entire article at: 

http://www.newsenterprise.org/news/2015/jul/19/gov-cuomo-tourism-serious-business/