Report: Summer tourism drew record numbers
Jan. 26—The Granite State had a record-breaking summer tourism season as COVID-19 stopped many Americans from visiting foreign countries, according to state officials.
The state continues to be known for year-round outdoor recreation, and tourism officials expect a strong showing this winter.
The summer drew 4.4 million visitors, a 21% increase from 2019. Spending topped $2.1 billion, a 5% increase, according to reports from the Division of Travel and Tourism Development.
Reports show a record 12.8 million visitors brought $5.5 billion in spending for the fiscal year that ended in June.
The Mount Washington Cog Railway, one of the best-known tourist attractions in the White Mountains, reported a stronger summer than expected.
"We were sold out pretty much all summer all the way through the fall," said Rob Arey, The Cog's marketing director. "We couldn't really do much better than that."
Unlike past summers, most visitors came from New England and New York.
"Normally, we see people all the way from Pennsylvania and the Carolinas," Arey said. "This year they were a little closer."
The Canadian border remained closed for the entire summer season.
New Hampshire spent $2.4 million in marketing in the past four years on spring/summer tourism. The return on investment for each $1 spent was $197. All seven regions of the state reported an increase in visitor spending over 2019, according to a news release.
Mike Somers, CEO and president of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, said the state still has a long way to go to recover from the pandemic.
"Were it not for workforce shortages and supply chain issues, New Hampshire's hospitality businesses would have prospered even more during this summer's record-breaking season," he said in a statement.
As expected
Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said summer is typically the busiest season. It has the biggest impact across all regions of the state, he said.
He wasn't surprised by the record numbers, especially as vaccinations started rolling out.
"We knew people were coming out, and we knew people held on to some dollars and they would spend it when they felt like it was safe to do so," Caswell said.
New Hampshire's vast outdoor attractions were appealing to those who live in urban environments. The outdoors became known as "safe places" during the pandemic.
The state invested more marketing in areas such as North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Ohio without reducing efforts in key areas. The key message: "We'll be here when you are ready," Caswell said.
He said so far he's hearing about strong winter numbers, though it's tough to say mid-season.
Some areas of the state, such as Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, attract people year-round.
"We are seeing the trend continue into the winter," Caswell said.
With the Canadian border open, next summer also could break records.
"The numbers we saw did not include any Canadians," Caswell said. "There is nowhere else to go but up."
Hosted events increase
Colwen Hotels, which operates three hotels in Portsmouth, saw a boost in tourism, mostly from Massachusetts and other New England states.
"It was expected," said regional sales director Amy Amirault, about pent-up demand in the summer.
Still, she said, "I don't think we realized how busy it would be. It was busy right up until mid-November."
The company hosted 50 weddings at the Envio, an event space within the AC Hotel, its newest hotel. Many of them had been rescheduled from earlier in the pandemic.
Typically, the hotels see business from Canada and overseas businesspeople.
"Our corporate business has not come back to where it was pre-pandemic," she said.
Many companies, however, are starting to book meetings for the second half of the year and into 2023, she said.
Along with the Envio, the company reopened a function space formerly called the Portsmouth Harbor Events and Conference Center. The new name is The Venue at Portwalk Place.
Last winter, visitors spent $1 billion, nearly reaching the pre-pandemic total of $1.2 billion in 2019. Total trips of 2.7 million were just shy of 2020's 2.9 million, according to the news release.
The Cog Railway operates throughout the winter but does not go all the way to the summit. The primary destination is Waumbek Station, at an elevation of 4,000 feet. Passengers spend about 25 minutes enjoying hot refreshments and a fire pit during winter treks.
The Cog already is planning for another busy summer season, though the pandemic still brings uncertainty.
"We are looking at re-expanding our advertising reach back down into those lower Atlantic states," Arey said.
