Elevating the Erie Canalway Trail Economic Impact and Marketing of a Cycling Destination in Upstate New York
About us Parks & Trails New York is the state’s leading advocate for parks and trails, working since 1985 to expand, protect and promote a network of parks, trails and open spaces for use and enjoyment by all
Agenda
Erie Canal and Canalway Trail background Economic Impact Study Future promotion & engagement
History of Development – Erie Canal •
• • • • • •
• •
1825 1850s 1918 1960s 1970s
Original Erie opened Enlarged Erie opened Barge Canal opened Individual communities develop towpath NYSDOT and NYSOPRHP – tasked with developing canal for recreational use 1990s NYS Canal Corporation assumes responsibility 1995 Canal Recreationway Plan produced 2000 Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor 2014 National Register-listed
Trail Ambassadors & End-toEnd Recognition Program “Eyes and Ears” Cheerleaders Welcome crew
Numbers growing every year Tour rider + ??? Aspirational
Close the Gaps advocacy
Existing resources
Mobile-optimized map www.CycletheErieCanal.com
New edition of best-selling guidebook - released last July! Annual bike tour
The Numbers…
Economic Impact Study released in 2014
Funding from NYS Canal Corporation & Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Research conducted by Paul A. Scipione, Ph.D. – SUNY Geneseo, Professor Emeritus & Director of Survey/Research Center, Jones School of Business
Why did we do the study? Provide comprehensive data on trail usage and economic impact Confirm anecdotal belief of ECT as an important contributor to Upstate economy Establish benchmark and methodology for future surveys
What did we learn?
1.58 million visits per year
Estimated Annual Trail Traffic Volume by Segment Trail Segment
Trail Count Locations
1 - Buffalo waterfront to Pendleton
Niawanda Park, City of Tonawanda, Erie County
2 - Lockport to Albion 3 - Albion to Rochester west of the Genesee River
Widewaters, City of Lockport, Niagara County
4 - Rochester east of the Genesee River to Newark
Monroe County
Henpeck Park, Town of Greece, Monroe County
Estimated Annual Trail Traffic Volume 359,177 46,674 83,954
Lock 33, Town of Brighton Schoen Place, Village of Pittsford Perinton Park, Village of Fairport
220,984
Bushnell’s Basin, Town of Perinton
6 - DeWitt to Oneida 7 - Oneida to Oriskany 8 - Oriskany to Utica
Whitbeck Road, Town of Arcadia, Wayne County Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct, Town of Camillus, Onondaga County Cedar Bay Park, Town of Dewitt, Onondaga County * Lock 20 Park, Town of Marcy, Oneida County
9 - Mohawk to Canajoharie
East side of Genesee Street, City of Utica, Oneida County Village of Fort Plain, Montgomery County
5 - Port Byron to Camillus
Village of Canajoharie, Montgomery County
134,089 66,260 42,882 52,744
68,983
10 - Canajoharie to Amsterdam
*
42,882
11 - Amsterdam to Schenectady
Schenectady Community College, City of Schenectady, Schenectady County
42,882
12 – Schenectady to Cohoes
Lions Park, Town of Niskayuna, Schenectady County
178,042 240,782 1,580,335
13 – Cohoes to Albany Corning Preserve, City of Albany, Albany County Total Trail Visits: * The lowest actual trail traffic volume estimate, obtained at Schenectady Community College, was applied to the trail sections for which observational or automatic counter data could not be obtained
Usage is local 92% live in 14 ECT counties 97.5 % live in 35 counties of Zone One
50% live within 5 miles of the ECT Marketing Opportunities • Large local, year-round audience • Major opportunity for non local visitor growth
Trail Users Living Less Than 5 Miles from the Trail by Mode of Reaching Trailhead Group
Percent
Walk
22%
Bike
35%
Horseback
Car, truck, van n = 268
57% walk or bike to the ECT
0%
44%
How much do ECT visitors spend?
$210.6 million per year in direct spending
Heads in beds… Spending and Visits by Segment Zone Zone One Day Zone One Overnight Zone Two Overnight
TOTAL
Number of Trail Visits
% Trail Visits
Direct Spending ($)
% Spending
1,292,031
81.75%
$34,063,632
16%
249,152
15.77%
$132,388,646
63%
39,152
2.48%
$44,169,698
21%
1,580,335
100%
$210,621,976
100%
• Overnight visitors (18%) = 84% of spending • Lodging and food = 74% of spending
New money = Zone Two visitors • 21% of overall spending • $55.8 million in economic impact
• 731 jobs
Who’s using the trail?
Typical trail user •
Employed, college-educated, male cyclist
•
Member of Generation X (ages 30-49)
•
•
Average household income
•
Spends ~$26.37/person/visit
Trail Users by primary trail activity 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40%
30% 20% 10% 0%
All Trail Users
59% bicyclists
Zone One Trail Users
Zone Two Trail Users
Suggestions for future marketing efforts
Age of Trail Users Age Cohort 18-29 30-49 50-69 70-79 80+ n =378
Percent 16% 41% 34% 7% 1%
Acknowledge generational differences
• Learn what they want and cater to it • Use their communication channels
Promote Canal history Trail Users by Interest in Canal History Response
Percent
Definitely Does
35%
Does Somewhat
44%
Not at all Not very well
4% 17%
n = 497
79% expressed interest
Engagement with healthy living Trail Users by Primary Trail Use 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
All Trail Users
Zone 1 Trail Users
Zone 2 Trail Users
• 61% weekly use or more • 51% 30-60 minutes/visit • 99% believe trail activities have positive effect
Promote cycling trips
Interest in cycling trips Interest in Organized Ride Percent
Could not at this time take such a trip Have not taken such a trip before but would be interested in one Have taken such a trip before and hope to again Have taken such a trip before and probably won't again n = 511
38%
42%
• 61% interested in organized rides • 69% interested in longer bicycling trip
19% 1%
• Across all ages and incomes
ECT vacationers A special market
22% of visitors = ECT Vacationers
Typical ECT vacationers Highly educated, employed, male Baby Boomers 96% ECT influenced their vacation choice Visit the trail to bicycle with 1-3 others for more than 2 hours
Spend on average $939 per person, per visit
Market potential  Half of U.S. adults (98 million persons) participate in adventure vacations each year  27 million persons have taken a bicycling vacation in the past five years U.S. Travel Association
ECT Vacationers How They First Found Out About the Trail
• More than half with incomes > $100,000 • Social media and satisfied visitors sharing • Biking and natural scenery are big draws
Communication Channel Word of mouth PTNY website Internet search PTNY Guidebook Magazine Driving past NYS Canal Corporation website Bike shop County tourism office Live by the trail Trail kiosk Signage Newspaper Tourist agency Other n = 100
Percent 42% 28% 21% 19% 17% 13% 11% 9% 6% 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 12%
Take-aways Local users AND ECT vacationers Healthy living Canal history/heritage
Tailored communications via multiple means Great upside for cycling trips, packages
Blazing new trails… ECT Facebook & Twitter Sharing stories Trail advisories Highlighting existing resources Connecting with attractions, communities along corridor
Coordinated marketing campaign & website launch
What’s next? • Close the Gaps & Amtrak “Roll-on” advocacy • Increasing awareness – “longest trail of its kind in the nation!” • ECT story-telling • More targeted marketing and other offerings based on visitor preferences, demographics
Other ramblings… Are our communities safe for bicycling and walking? Do I need a car to ride a bike (i.e. drive to multi-use trail)? Tourism vs. local use?
Thanks! James Meerdink, Project Director jmeerdink@ptny.org (518) 434-1583