Sept. 2017 - Wilmington, NY - For 27 consecutive years, readers of Ski Magazine voted Whiteface Mountain #1 in the East for off-hill activities. The magazine also named it #3 overall in eastern North America, #5 for challenging terrain, and #3 for apres-ski opportunities. The survey results are found in Ski Magazine’s yearly Ski Resort Guide: Best of the East. The survey asked respondents a series of questions to rate factors that affected their decision when planning a ski trip, and to gauge their satisfaction level with their experience at the mountain and with off-hill activities. The findings were based on a survey of 195 skiers and riders who had visited Whiteface Mountain. Before using this information for marketing/planning purposes, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) and the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) sought to confirm the findings by collecting a larger sample of Whiteface skiers. ROOST queried followers of Whiteface’s Facebook page, while ORDA sent surveys to their mailing list, which combined, yielded 297 respondents. The ROOST/ORDA findings strongly resembled the magazine’s results. ROOST, as the destination marketing organization, and ORDA as the manager of Whiteface and the Lake Placid Olympic Facilities, will use the information to help construct a plan that will attract visitors and better promote the product to them. “This information ensures we will make informed decisions when constructing a marketing plan for skiing and riding at Whiteface Mountain, as well as for the surrounding region,” said James McKenna, CEO of ROOST. “By continuing to work together we are stronger, and a unified message will help bring more winter business to the entire Adirondack Region,” said Mike Pratt, president of ORDA. Survey Results Both the Ski Magazine survey and the subsequent ROOST/ORDA survey indicates that the snow quality and terrain challenge are of upmost importance when planning a ski trip. Whiteface Mountain delivered on terrain, and skiers/riders were highly impressed with the mountain’s scenery. And while Olympic heritage and global sporting events scored 5 out of 10 (with 10 the highest) in importance when planning a trip, once they were here, it added significantly to their experience, scoring 8 out of 10 on the satisfaction scale. The ROOST/ORDA survey delved further into off-hill activities by asking those surveyed which activities they participated in while visiting WhitefaceMountain. Going to a brewpub was #1, sightseeing and touring was #2, and the touring the Olympic Jumping Complex came in third. Ski Magazines’s 2018 ski resort results are due to be released later this fall. The results of the ROOST/ORDA survey can be viewed at roostadk.com/research. ###

The Lake Placid Olympic Center lit up in the colors of Los Angeles’s sunsets last Wednesday, Sept. 13, to celebrate the city officially being awarded the 2028 Olympic Summer Games and Paralympic Games. Other U.S. Olympic host cities Squaw Valley and St. Louis, held tributes as well.

Sept, 2017 - ROOST staff produced a Fall in the Adirondacks video that showcases the foliage and events in our eight regions. We shared on our social media channels, and we would love for you to share as well! Fall colors are coming! As a reminder, ROOST staff is keeping track of the fall foliage and updating our destination websites with the progress of the colors. We’ve got an easy link for you to reference and share with your guests and customers that provides quick links to the region reports, events, tours and more: adirondacksusa.com. Hope everyone has their cameras ready!

Lake Placid, adirondacks, usa — The Lake Placid Community Day Committee encourages interested community members to join their efforts, and invites all Lake Placid-area businesses and organizations to attend future organizational meetings to discuss ongoing plans. The Lake Placid Community Day will be held on May 20, 2018. It will be an annual celebration and promotion of the community and its rich legacy of volunteerism. In addition to the announcement of the volunteers of the year, the Community Day event is intended to promote the many volunteer opportunities available in the region to current and new residents. All those interested in attending these meetings should contact Bethany Valenze at bethany@lakeplacid.com. ###

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) will be holding marketing review meetings in the upcoming months in each of its eight regional destinations. The purpose of these gatherings is to acquaint, or reacquaint community members with their respective regional marketing manager and to give an update on ROOST's progress on the scope of work related to tourism marketing initiatives. Two meetings have been set thus far, and we will inform you when the other regions' have been scheduled. The Saranac Lake region's destination marketing review is scheduled for Thursday, October 26, 2017, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the Saranac Lake ROOST Office, 193 River Street. All interested Saranac Lake municipal leaders, businesses, organizations, and individuals are invited to attend. The agenda will include a short presentation by ROOST staff, time for Q&A, and a networking opportunity with light refreshments and a cash bar. Contact Kelly Brunette to RSVP, kelly@saranaclake.com. The Lake Champlain region's destination marketing review is scheduled for Thursday, November 2, 2017 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the Westport Hotel, 6691 Main Street, Westport. Contact Suzanne Maye to RSVP, suzanne@roostadk.com.