Morning read: No storm cloud without a silver lining?
Summer in Lake George: Could it see a boon from Superstorm Sandy damage downstate and in New Jersey? Photo: www.visitlakegeorge.com
With worries mounting as fast as snow isn’t piling up in North Country winter recreation spots, an article today in the Glens Falls Post-Star looks ahead to summer.
In an ironic (and perhaps fate-tempting) bit of climate change fun, the paper reports, some are speculating that the weird weather that’s been making winter tourism less profitable here, might mean that summer tourism in the Adirondack North Country region could see a bump. Here’s the idea:
Superstorm Sandy did a lot of damage on the Jersey Shore (and spots in southern New York state), and potential visitors are uncertain about whether that damage will be repaired in time for the summer season. Ergo, as people make their plans for the summer they may look to our region instead. Apparently advance bookings on Lake George-area hotels “have been very positive”, but evidence so far is anecdotal on this.
Meanwhile, the same paper is also reporting that Warren County is thinking about closing a “loophole” in its occupancy (that’s hotel to you and me) tax that’s apparently costing the county tens of thousands of dollars in revenue per year. The change, which would have online bookers like Expedia passing on more of what they charge for rooms to the county, has been contentious–last summer, Saratoga county’s move to clarify its policy aroused the ire of a trade group that represents online bookers.But the change has resulted in an approximately-$50,000 tax revenue increase for the county in the last year.
It’s a complex issue, but county leaders are at pains to point out that no matter what happens, it won’t cost consumers any more.
Yes! I see a pattern! When climate change brings us Northerners such horrors as West Nile virus, Equine encephalitis, Allium Moths, feral pigs, tornadoes, malaria, and rattlesnakes, we’ll say ” That’s all right, ’cause now we can grow peaches.”
And we Loooove peaches…
Any statement that ends with “it won’t cost the consumer any more” is a lie.
yup, that’s just what you want, a bunch of misplaced jersey shorites, and fire islanders, descending on lake george.
I dont go into the village very often butI have noticed an interesting change in the visitor to Lake George in the last few years. Lots of South Asians. Many years ago I would see lots of Italians and Irish, and sometimes a bus-load of Japanese.
Feral pigs are from stupid people who brought the here on purpose. West Nile was brought in from endemic areas probably on a plane from Egypt. Not sure about some of the others.
Two cents, more sarcasm? Of course this is what we want. Environmental groups that support buying up more land for the Forest Preserve say that this is exactly what we want. This is our economic engine.