County Unveils Visitor Profile Study

New Study Paints Detailed Picture of Tompkins Tourists

Ithaca, NY-- After two years of research, the Tompkins County Legislator's Strategic Tourism Planning Board and the Ithaca/Tompkins Convention and Visitors Bureau will unveil a report, May 4, documenting the motivations, spending habits and demographics of Tompkins County visitors.

The comprehensive research project used proprietary lodging data, public economic statistics, detailed surveys and hundreds of in-person interviews to create a statistically accurate profile of Tompkins visitors. The information is critical to the tourism community, local restaurant owners and specialty retailers who rely on visitors for a significant portion of their revenues.

Among the report's findings, the county attracted more than 840,000 visitors in 2009, generating $156 million in associated spending and supporting more than 2,300 jobs. Visitors spent an average $185 per person, per trip in 2009 with 35% of their spending going to food and drink, 28% to lodging and 25% to shopping. Visitors tend to be highly educated with high household incomes. Cornell, the county's gorges/waterfalls, the downtown Commons and the local dining scene are ranked as the top visitor attractions.

"This study validates many assumptions we've been making over the years and provides numbers to back them up," said Fred Bonn, director of the Ithaca/Tompkins visitors bureau. "You need hard data to make smart decisions and this report provides us real detail to move forward."

The comprehensive research project was commissioned by the county's Strategic Tourism Planning Board and funded by the county Tourism Program, with project management from the Ithaca/Tompkins CVB. Research firm Chmura Economics and Analytics conducted the study and authored the final report. The Chmura report is the first detailed look at Tompkins County visitors in almost a decade. The county last surveyed visitors in 2002.

To download a PDF copy of the 135-page report (3.6MB), click here. To download the PowerPoint presentation of report highlights (6.6MB), click here.  For information, contact Fred Bonn at the Visitors Bureau, (607) 272-1313, fred@visitithaca.com.

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Chmura Economics & Analytics
Profile of Visitors to Tompkins County
Key Findings:

• The county attracted 843,000 visitors in 2009, generating $156 million in associated spending.

• Tourism directly provided 2,366 jobs in the county and generated tax revenue of $597 per household.

• 37% of visitors are day trippers, 33% stay in hotels/B&Bs and 19% stay with friends/family.

• 75% of visitors are leisure travelers.

• 53% of visitors are New Yorkers with another 22% coming from adjacent Northeast states.

• The top market for overnight visitors is NYC followed by Rochester, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington D.C.

• 41% of visitors have household incomes of $100,000 or more.

• 47% of visitors were attracted by Cornell or Ithaca College, making higher ed the top tourist attraction. This was followed by state parks, gorges, and waterfalls 44%; downtown and the Commons 35%; dining and restaurants 34%; Cayuga Lake 26%; arts, music, and theatre 19%; wineries 18% and museums/Discovery Trail 13%.

• Visitors spent an average $185 per person, per trip in 2009 with 35% of their spending going to food and drink, 28% to lodging and 25% to shopping.

• Overnighters staying with friends and family aren't cheapskates. They spent a surprising $172 per visitor, per trip on average.

• Visitors leave Ithaca impressed with 88% saying they were satisfied by their experience and 69% promising repeat visits. They rank natural beauty, Cornell University, the dining, the people and the peaceful ambiance as the best aspects of the area.

"The high level of visitor satisfaction is tremendously gratifying," Bonn said. "It's a reflection of the people who live here. Hospitality comes naturally when you're proud of where you live."

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