A report on tourism in Orange County prepared by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, said that visitor spending in the county reached $1.1 billion last year, up 22% from 2021. The report said that tourism produced 6% more spending last year than before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said the report affirms that tourism is a major driver of economic development in Orange and throughout New York state. Statewide, tourists spent $79 billion in 2022.
“Orange County’s attractions draw visitors from nearby and around the world,” Neuhaus said. “That significantly drives our county’s economic growth and has helped us lower county taxes to rates not seen since the 1960s. Tourism creates jobs and is a key part of our growing economy.”
The study, “Economic Impact of Visitors In New York 2022: Hudson Valley Focus,” showed that the money spent in 2022 by visitors to New York state was up $27 billion from 2021 spending. Orange County’s $1.1 billion in traveler spending exceeded what was spent in 2019 before the pandemic by $64 million.
In the Hudson Valley, total tourism spending in 2022 was $4.64 billion, up 20.4% from 2021. Tourism produced $331 million in local taxes and $249 million in state taxes.
In Westchester County, traveler spending totaled $1.99 billion in 2022. In Rockland, it was $513 million, with Putnam generating $78 million in traveler spending. Dutchess County had $706 million in traveler spending. Westchester was the only county where spending did not exceed where it was before the Covid pandemic, with the county showing 2019 spending of $2.01 billion.
The report said that tourism in Orange County generated $153.8 million in local and state taxes in 2022, resulting in a tax savings of $1,158 per household. The report also said that 11,161 jobs were created in Orange County by tourism.
According to Amanda Dana, director of Orange County Tourism & Film. “We offer so many regional and widely renowned attractions and festivals, a lively craft beverage scene, new discoveries in every community, dining options for all tastes and charming lodging options. This report shows how much those activities bring in spending, jobs and taxes and how the allure of our county to travelers from around the world benefits us all.”
The report said that in 2022 there were 291 million visitors to New York state, both from overseas and within the U.S., a 23% increase over 2021. The total statewide economic impact from tourism, both direct and indirect, was $123 billion.
