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North Country Tourism North Country has the possibility to gather more tourists in winter Story by Tats Kasama "Winter is the most challenging season for the tourism industry," said Michele Powers, director of Champlain Shores Visitors & Convention Bureau. Indeed, winter in upstate New York is chilly, but it offers fun for visitors despite this. Increasing Tourism The Adirondack region has annually attracted seven to 10 million visitors in past years, according to Powers. She predicts the new Plattsburgh International Airport, of which construction will be completed in July 2007, will accelerate a visitor increase. "Interestingly, more than 20,000 Quebecois use the Burlington Airport, and many others use Albany," said Robert Rolfs, lecturer of the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Program at Plattsburgh State University College (PSUC). "Plattsburgh Airport is much closer and much more convenient, and will have free parking." Shopping The number of visitors who come for shopping has certainly been increasing. Champlain Centre, the shopping mall in Plattsburgh, has a facility that checks car license plates. Powers explained that the number of cars from Canada during January to August in 2006 increased 42 percent compared to the same period in 2005. Shopping is an important factor especially in winter because it is not affected by seasons, while winter is the most challenging season for tourism.
As the economic condition of Canada has grown better, the amount of money Canadian visitors annually spend in Clinton County has increased 60 percent during 1995 to 2004, according to Plattsburgh North Country Chamber of Commerce. Not only Champlain Centre but other shops and restaurants are also trying to vitalize Plattsburgh downtown to attract Canadian tourists. Lake Placid "The Olympics in Lake Placid had a definite affect on tourism in the North Country," Rolfs said. He also added that exposure in media promotes tourism. Whiteface Mountain and ORDA (Olympic Regional Development Authority) venues provide international exposure with skiing, bobsled, luge, biathlon, cross country, and snowshoeing, all hosting international events. The Lake Placid Olympic Region is not only a place for those competitions, but it also has the 1932 and 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum and unique facilities such as Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. Though not just anybody can try ski jumping, we can try bobsledding thanks to the facility. Bobsledding is definitely one of the winter sports almost everyone knows but has never tried. Bobsled rides are given with a professional driver and brakeman, so one does not need any previous experience. Ice-climbing North Country has many places for ice-climbing. The season is usually December through March, and sometimes in November and April, too. How can we start ice climbing? "Take courses," said Casey Henley, head instructor of climbing and skiing at PSUC. Though people may think it is a dangerous sport, "As long as you follow the rules, it is safe," Henley said. The college offers ice-climbing courses in spring semesters, and non-students can take courses offered by guiding companies. Snowshoeing Snowshoes had already been necessary equipment in winter life in the 17th century in the North Country, and now they are used for recreational purposes too. Recreational snowshoeing is like hiking on snow. "When you go to mountains in winter, you enjoy a whole different kind of atmosphere from hiking in spring. Winter scene is unique, especially in the Adirondacks," Jason Leach, president of the Outing Club at PSUC said. "And snowshoes give you an opportunity to go in there." Winter festivals
The 110th annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, which is the oldest winter festival in the eastern United States, will be held around the Adirondack Mountain village of Saranac Lake February 10 to 11 in 2007. The festival hosts skiing and skating races, volleyball in the snow, softball played on snowshoes, and so forth. One of the appeals of this festival is the Ice Palace, which is made of over 1,500 blocks of ice made in Lake Flower. The size of the palace built every year ranges from 70 to 90 feet in length and 40 to 60 feet in height. The Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival is held annually in Keene Valley, NY, in March. This festival has all levels of instructional backcountry skiing clinics, guided tours, trials of new gears of sponsoring companies, and presentations by famous skiing mountaineers. The Adirondack Mountain Festival is also held in Keene Valley on the weekend of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January. This festival also hosts clinics of ice-climbing, which Henley will instruct, so it may be a good opportunity for those who are interested in the sport. Different Attractions During the Christmas season, visiting Santa’s Workshop in North Pole, NY, might be a good activity for families with children. It is a Christmas theme park which opened in 1949, long before the words "theme park" were born. Santa's Workshop offers some attractions such as shows, rides, and also has gift shops. Adirondack Flying Service offers beautiful scenic flights around Whiteface Mountain and High Peaks by aircraft, starting from Lake Placid. It also offers Air Charter. It’s sample price list is available on its Web site. The long cold winter in New York may be a burden at times, but at the same time, it can be an advantage that creates unique appeals for visitors. |
Origin of The Saranac Lake Winter
Carnival |
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The
Ice Palace is built before the beginning of The Saranac Lake Winter
Carnival. Those ice blocks were taken from Lake Flower.