{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Radio Chatskill","title":"Sullivan County Tourism Agency Pitches Digital Overhaul to Draw Visitors From Farther Away","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":677,"description":"The Sullivan County Visitors Association is making a case to county lawmakers that the key to boosting the local economy lies in reaching a different kind of tourist — one flying in from St. Louis or Milwaukee, not just driving up from New York City.At a Sullivan County Legislature meeting last Thursday, SCVA Executive Director Michael Martellon laid out an ambitious vision for transforming how the agency markets the Catskills region, centered on a shift toward digital advertising and away from the print ads and trade shows that have historically driven the agency's outreach, according to Liam Mayo of The River Reporter. Fewer Day-Trippers, More Overnight GuestsThe underlying logic is simple: the further away a visitor comes from, the longer they tend to stay — and longer stays mean more money flowing into the local economy through lodging taxes, restaurant bills, and retail spending.Martellon was also eager to clarify where the SCVA's money comes from in the first place. As Mayo explained, \"He really emphasized that the SCVA doesn't get tax dollars that are generated on people who are living and working in the county. The SCVA is funded fully through the lodging tax that is collected on hotel rooms and Airbnb stays in the county.\"Martellon said the county currently sits at about a 25% annual occupancy rate across its hotels, inns, and short-term rentals. Nudging that number up even modestly, he argued, could translate to significant revenue gains. A jump to 30% occupancy, he projected, would generate roughly $2.69 million in additional sales and lodging tax revenue. A climb to 40% — a figure he said he achieved over eight years while leading tourism efforts in Telluride, Colorado — could mean $8 million more, with $5.6 million of that coming through sales tax alone.He acknowledged the figures are projections, not guarantees.Showing Up on ChatGPT, Not Just GoogleTo attract those distant visitors, Martellon said the SCVA plans to invest heavily in what he's...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q7XXsnSXT_u4mZLCn3chUorwDmUD_kWiB272D6emB18/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80N2Uy/OGY5MWUwZThkYTEw/NDVkZGM2ZGZkZDIw/ZjliOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}