Tourism leaders optimistic about summer season

MEREDITH — The Lakes Region is one of the tourism hubs for New Hampshire, especially in the summer. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) met recently with representatives of some of those destinations, to discuss how they are hurting, and thriving.

The roundtable discussion took place aboard the Winnipesaukee Spirit, on May 29, which was docked at the Meredith Town Docks. Business leaders talked with the senator about gas prices, the impact of the war in Iran, and the reduction of Canadian visitors to the area over the past two years.

Shaheen sat at the head of the table, alongside Mount Washington Cruises CEO Jared Maraio. Around the table were leaders from Ames Farm Inn, Castle in the Clouds, Gunstock Mountain Resort, Meredith Village Savings Bank, the Winnipesaukee Railroad, and Laconia Motorcycle Week.

It was a rainy Friday afternoon, and Shaheen said while they can’t control the weather, maybe she, and her colleagues in Washington, can help boost tourism.

There were plenty of concerns shared, but there was also optimism. Some business representatives said they were off to a better start than last summer. Many are not planning as far ahead as they once did.

“I think they’re watching the weather, and I think they’re watching their pocketbook,” said Gunstock General Manager Robert Drake. “I think we are lucky at Gunstock, because we are regional and people are staying closer to home for obvious reasons, so we benefit from that.”

Shaheen told the group it had been a long time since she'd been through Weirs Beach, and couldn’t believe the construction going on. She asked if it is a good thing, or a concern.

Laconia Motorcycle Week Executive Director Charlie St. Clair said the worry from residents is the development's pace, as well as the type of businesses.

“Losing the taste that we have of the Lakes Region, we don’t want it to become canyons with six-story buildings,” St. Clair said. “Just losing that whole thing we have, of why people come here. Development is good, but, the right way, I guess, is the way to put it. That’s what I hear. I’m on the planning board in Laconia, and we just keep bringing stuff through.”

Maraio said it can be difficult to find housing for employees of seasonal operations. He said a lot of properties are for sale, but there aren’t a lot of rentals. Shaheen said the average price of a home is now more than $500,000.

Drake said he's had challenges finding housing for managers he's bringing on board. Chuck Clark, general manager of Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, agreed.

“The housing market is just brutal up here,” Clark said. “If you’re trying to hire someone who needs to relocate, it’s really tough for them to find a place where they can fit.”

Shaheen asked how things were in the early stages of the season. State Tourism Director Michelle Cruz said there are uncertainties, but hearing a recent report from Memorial Day in the Mount Washington Valley showed optimism.

“People were waiting last-minute to make reservations,” Cruz said. “So, while it was kind of a concern leading up to the weekend, the weekend for them just exploded.”

Cruz said they are looking at about the same forecast as last summer, which shows about 4.8 million visitors, bringing in $2.6 billion in spending. Travel spending is up nationally 3%, hotel demand is up 2%, and she said there is a modest increase in air travel.

“While there are some challenges, we’re still looking at the visitor who wants to have their vacations,” Cruz said. “People still want to travel. They know they’re going to probably spend, and spend more than what they may have, but I think they’re watching that.”

At Ames Farm Inn, in Gilford, Resort Manager Patrick Brown said they are already doing very well. He told Shaheen the inn has a lot of repeat visitors, and bookings are better than this time last year.

Clark is more concerned with international visitors not coming, but hopes those looking for a weekend getaway will not be discouraged. He said their marketing techniques include attracting visitors from other New England states.

“The Canadians are definitely still not coming,” Clark said. “We usually get 15 to 20 Canadian tour groups this year. I think we have one this year on our books right now. That, for sure, I think is a concern. But hopefully it’s offset by some of the domestic travel that don’t want to go quite as far, but know there is a way to escape to the Lakes Region.”

Brown said he and his wife attended a Discover New England event, and it isn’t just Canadians who aren’t looking to come back, but visitors from across the globe. The theme, he said, was to keep relationships.

St. Clair said so many businesses depend on Motorcycle Week as a jump-start to the season, and acknowledged they are feeling the Canadian loss.

“It is such a big part of our base, and it was easily 70% down last year with Canadians,” St. Clair said. “I saw it in Daytona Beach, in March.”

The Division of Tourism has a marketing focus on Florida, but Cruz said they also still focus strongly on Montreal, where she has heard from people who want to come to New Hampshire. She said there is a younger generation who want to get in their cars and cross the border.

“I think the advice to keep the relationships going is really important,” Shaheen said.

Clark said a strength in the Lakes Region is all businesses are “pulling on the same oar,” and the success of one business often helps another.

“I think that synergy is something that we are really good at building on, and continue to use as a strength to bolster us, when things are tight in other places,” Clark said.

Maraio said he has been working with Sean Wheeler, general manager of Winnipesaukee Railroad, on rail and sail packages, which is a combination ticket for the train and a boat. They have also incorporated “stay and play,” which encourages people to get off the M/S Mount Washington in Wolfeboro, do some shopping, and then return on a later sailing.

“These are really popular programs, because they are full experiences,” Maraio said.

St. Clair said he notices this type of collaboration’s success, as there are people who extend their stay after Motorcycle Week to do things that have nothing to do with motorcycles.

Maraio said Mount Washington Cruises is certainly affected by the decline in Canadian tourism, but fuel prices are the major kicker. Like Ames, bookings are ahead of last year. They are also fortunate to have plenty of historical data, and he said in 2022, during another fuel crisis, consumers stayed away at the beginning of the summer, but came to the area as it went on.

“I am optimistic that we are ahead at this point,” Maraio said. “We’ll see what happens in the consumer market.”

Maraio said with fuel surcharges, his team found other ways to keep ticket prices low.

Shaheen said there isn’t a lot she can do about fuel prices, except maintain hope the war in Iran will end soon.

“If only you could control it,” St. Clair said.

“I know, really. If only we could control the weather, too, we’d be all set,” Shaheen replied.

Bringing information back to Washington

A common theme around the table was instead of planning ahead, many tourists are waiting until the last minute.

“It was good to hear that people feel good about the bookings, even though, as they said, they were last-minute,” Shaheen said.

She noted America is the only industrialized nation with a reduction in visitors last year.

Shaheen was part of a hearing with Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in April, and said she disapproved of his comments about Canada. One of his comments, bluntly said, was “they suck.”

After the roundtable she said it wasn’t helpful to Granite State businesses depending on tourism.

In the April 22 hearing, she said tourism supports 70,000 jobs, and Canada has sent the largest share of foreign visitors, and last year there was a 30% drop.

Lutnick said Canada relies on the $30 trillion U.S. economy. Shaheen agreed, but said there are now Canadian visitors no longer coming to America because of comments like that.

“I find your rhetoric insulting to the people in my state who are working so hard to try and ensure that they can do business,” Shaheen said during the hearing.

Shaheen has also addressed issues with Department of Homeland Security and visa workers.

“I just talked to the new secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary [Markwayne] Mullin, today, about some of the issues we’ve got in New Hampshire with visas,” Shaheen said. “It’s an opportunity to be able to take back those specific circumstances that I hear from New Hampshire businesses, about the challenges they face.”

Shaheen stressed it is not a partisan issue. Shaheen has worked closely with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on visa issues, as Maine has similar concerns. She said legislation makes a difference. 

Shaheen underscored the importance of meeting with business leaders, and addressing trends.

“And how we can keep pushing the administration, to make sure we address the concerns that people have.”