Tourism is big business in the county and holds the potential to become bigger, perhaps reaching the billion-dollar level.
So says a new yearlong study released by the Fairfield County Convention and Visitors Bureau of Norwalk.
“The study confirmed that providing visitors with a wealth of special-event reasons to visit sparked interest and a call to action,” said Catherine Sidor, executive director of the Fairfield County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Tourism has the potential of being a billion-dollar industry in Fairfield County.” Â
The study, which determined the economic impact that visitors have on the economy, found that overnight visitors alone contributed more than $640 million to lower Fairfield County’s economy. Nearly 80 percent of visitors to the county said they would definitely return. Of these people 15 percent were making their first trip to the county. Â
The study also found day-trippers, spending approximately one-fourth of an overnight visitor’s expenditure, added an estimated $160 million.
Witan Intelligence Inc. interviewed 30 to 50 visitors a day at eight Fairfield County hotels.
The results were coupled with the previous season’s study at l6 attractions and special events across the county.
“Once again, we found that targeted marketing and presentation of attractive destinations generated great hospitality results with new and repeat visitors,” said John Bourget, the study”™s architect.
 According to Sidor the county”™s targeted campaigns have done their job.
“Charitable benefit garden tours were promoted in garden club newsletters; the region’s three sanctioned triathlons appeared in young demographic e-mail blasts; and outdoor summer Shakespeare performances were placed in arts-and-leisure media,” said Sidor.
To encourage travel in the face of high gas prices, the Convention and Visitors Bureau developed overnight packages that included gas gift cards, Metro-North train station pickups by rental car companies and hotel shuttle vans.
“So far, the strategy of understanding what visitors want is working,” said Sidor, noting hotels in the area have been able to maintain a high level of occupancy.
 “Based on the study’s estimate, a traveler’s average spending of $443 per day makes a significant contribution to Fairfield County’s economy,” said Sidor. “Just looking at the region’s 6,191 hotel rooms over 365 nights, every 1 percent increase in occupancy correlates to an additional 22,000 room rentals and stimulates commerce for related sectors of the economy. The payoff is absolutely enormous.”
More than 60 percent of hotel guests indicated that they visited museums and historic places; 50 percent sought fine dining; 38 percent did some sightseeing; 24 percent shopped; and 13 percent attended a cultural performance.
According to Sidor, the influx in variety of restaurants in the county”™s urban places like Norwalk and Stamford adds to tourist appeal and makes the area more interesting.
“It”™s important to us to have that variety of newness and freshness to the area,” said Sidor.
