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September 29, 2016Tourists spent $968M in Albany County Last Year
Did you know Albany County welcomes more than 4,000 visitors each day?
According to a 2015 report released by Tourism Economics, visitors to Albany County support 15,400 local jobs and generate $518 million in labor income annually.
Statewide, tourism is the fourth largest employer.
But tourism doesn’t just create local jobs, it offsets taxes. Last year, tourism generated $71 million dollars in local taxes and $54 million in state taxes.
“The Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau works at both the state and regional levels to communicate the message that travel and tourism is a vital economic partner in the region’s growth,” says Michele Vennard, President and CEO of the Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “In 2015, thanks in part to our ongoing efforts, travelers spent $968 million in Albany County, generating $124 million in state and local taxes.”
In fact, were it not for tourism, taxpayers would have had to fork over an additional $1006.
Tourism is also one of the few sectors of our economy that continues to grow each year. Last year, tourists spent $968 million in Albany County, and $1.9 billion in the region as a whole, up 3.3% over the year before.
“Tourism contributes to the county’s bottom line, but it also fosters civic pride, reminding us all why we live here, and what makes this place so special,” Vennard says.
Here’s a video about tourism’s impact on Albany.
You can also take a look at the infographic we compiled to illustrate the impact tourism has on Albany County:
