As we explore other towns around the Adirondacks and throughout rural America, there is one thing that stands out as a key component of economic development success – success is built by leveraging your assets.
Our tourism assets are vast. Our recreation assets are limitless, yet relatively untapped.
We are surrounded by water. We sit on two of the most beautiful lakes in the country, in the middle of the fabulous Adirondack Mountains.
We have a couple of hundred miles of groomed, marked trails, and can follow them to astounding views. We even have lit cross-country trails for night skiing in the winter.
Our lakes and rivers are full of great fishing, kayaking, and rafting adventures.
Fort Ticonderoga thrives as one of the premier historic destinations of our nation.
The Original Star Trek Studio Set Tours draw an entirely different demographic to our area.
Sharing our local treasures.
Unless you live in the Adirondacks and own your own equipment, you probably don’t know about our amazing adventures. And even if you did, an inexperienced person from outside the area wouldn’t have equipment or be very safe on the water or trails. We need outfitters and certified guides to help people discover our beautiful southern Adirondacks. Do you know someone who wants to start this business?
FORT TICONDEROGA:
Solid, Enduring, Progressive
How can we leverage Fort Ticonderoga as a healthy and growing flagship attraction? Surveys tell us that visitors to the Fort want other experiences here as well. They often ask “What else is there to do here?”
How can we connect the Fort with downtown Ti? The town beach?
Could we expand transportation from the train station to downtown with bike rentals or Uber/Lyft/Taxi/Shuttles?
Could recreational guides expand the historic experience of Fort visitors? How about a hike or snowshoe through the Lord Howe Valley in the footsteps of The Green Mountain Boys?
Could we have more attractive accommodations for visitors, more upscale restaurants and additional retail shops in downtown?
What can we do to extend the experience of the Ticonderoga Area?
Going Boldly into the Future
The Trek Studios continue to expand. Who would have thought that the passion of local resident James Cawley would “live long and prosper” here in Ticonderoga. And yet…the Trekonderoga Con has grown significantly each year and added additional events with William Shatner and other stars. Trek Studio Tours is open year round for visitors, and they continue to produce fan films. Now we have a comic book store in town that appeals to the Trekkie visitors. Sometimes the best course is expanding what’s working vs. starting something new. What’s next in leveraging our futuristic assets?
So think about it. How can we leverage these tourism assets? How can we build on what we have? How can we create “access points” for visitors? How can we expand each person’s visit with other compelling activities? And how can we bring more tourism dollars into our local economy?
Let’s talk……