Tourism Bureau hosts annual dinner
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.>> The Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau hosted their 32nd annual meeting and dinner Wednesday evening at the Saratoga Springs City Center. Over 150 people attended to hear the successes of 2016, plans for 2017 and to honor volunteers, ambassadors and new board members. The bureau announced three 2016 Hometown Ambassadors: Nancy Trimbur for Soroptimist International of the Americas, Jeff and Beck King for National Holstein Association Convention and Cassandra Latour for the Association of YMCA Professionals. The 2016 Volunteers of the Year were Leonard DiLisio of the Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center and Karen Longobardi of the Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau.
Tony Garofano has served as bureau president for seven years.
“In 2016 we worked with 627 groups that came to Saratoga and that number is up from 422 the previous year,” said Garofano.
Not only did the bureau increase the number of groups who visited Saratoga, they increased membership.
“We finished the year with 501, which is up from 481 last year,” said Garofano. “We really focus in on those businesses that are hospitality and tourism related, so that increase in membership speaks to how Saratoga is continuing to grow as a tourism destination.”
The bureau hosts groups in several capacities. Whether it’s conferences, sporting events or weddings, the bureau’s goal is to market and sell Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County to groups looking for different events.
“In terms of room nights be-
cause at the end of the day that’s how we generate revenue is hotel stays,” said Garofano. “Those 627 groups accounted for just about 91,000 room nights which is up from 81,000 the year before.”
Garofano said the bureau saw the biggest increase in destination-style weddings and corporate events.
Moving forward Garofano hopes the bureau continues to grow in both member size and groups exploring Saratoga Springs.
But Garofano recognized potential challenges in the area.
“Added competition around us with the Albany Capital Center, the new hotels that are affiliated with the casino in Schenectady and a lot of new hotel activity up in Lake George,” said Garofano.
Airbnb, however, remains a specific challenge right in Saratoga Springs.
“This isn’t so much about the people in town who rent their houses out for track season [but] this is the short-term rental market throughout the rest of the year,” said Garofano. “If you go onto Airbnb and do a search for a two-night stay depending on the weekend you could see over 200-220 rental opportunities with a lot of those listings saying hey, we’re two blocks from the city center or we are three blocks from downtown, so they’re clearly competing with some of our hotels.”
Garofano said the bureau continues to work with state, county and local officials to ensure folks renting on Airbnb follow the same policies and procedures.
“In terms of permitting and insurance and safety and security inspections and collecting and remitting both sales tax and occupancy tax,” said Garofano.
Garofano said New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association has worked on involving those polices and procedure into legislation, hoping to introduce a bill in the next couple of weeks.
“That would be on a state-wide basis, so it would definitely need local support as well,” said Garofano.
The bureau nominated Amy Smith, Tom Wiedmayer, Elizabeth Sobol, Steve Grasso, Ryan McFadden, Carmine DeCrescente III, Jasper Alexander and Sean Willcoxon to the board of directors and nominated Cindy Hollowood, Thomas Newkirk, AJ Bodden, Marianne Barker and Robert Berrey to the executive committee.