New Hampshire tourism officials are preparing for what they expect will be the busiest Labor Day weekend on record. The state of NH estimates some 620,000 visitors will visit over the three-day holiday weekend, a 5 percent increase from Labor Day weekend 2015. Those visitors are also expected to spend around $88 million during their stay, a 5 percent increase from last year.
Labor Day Weekend is historically the second busiest travel weekend in NH. Hospitality venues statewide are reporting ample advance bookings for the long weekend, from travelers from all 50 states and internationally.
“Our ongoing audience research indicates that more visitors are traveling to New Hampshire because of our proximity and convenience,” says Victoria Cimino, director of the NH Division of Travel and Tourism Development in Concord. “The motivation of these trips varies from escaping the big-city stress to being adventuresome and taking advantage of the outdoors."
The tourism department had undertaken a data-driven approach to identify potential visitors from key metro areas, such as New York, and directed marketing efforts to attract visitors from these regions. Polar Caves Director of Operations Rob Arey, who says he has seen a significant increase in bus tours from New York.
Bill Webb, owner of the Inn on Golden Pond in Holderness, notes a 20 to 25 percent increase in advance reservations for this coming Labor Day, compared to last year. “This summer has been incredibly busy. People are definitely coming from farther away and staying for longer, three to four nights instead of one to two. We expect to be fully booked for the holiday weekend.”
Cathy Bedor, co-owner of the Cog Railway in the White Mountains, says the Cog is on track to have its fourth straight record summer season. In fact, it is currently 10 percent ahead in both revenue and riders this year. Bedor and her husband, who also own Adair Country Inn & Restaurant in Bethlehem, say they have been completely booked for Labor Day weekend for more than a month.
She says about 50 percent of guests are from New England. “Labor Day weekend is hands-down the busiest weekend of the season for us, and we’ve seen more visitors from wider demographics throughout the year."
One underlying driver for businesses located near colleges and universities during Labor Day weekend is freshman and returning student move-in days. Stephanie Seacord, a spokesperson for the Hanover Inn–Dartmouth, says close to 100 percent of her reservations for the holiday weekend are from families of students moving into their dorms, and reservation requests start coming in as soon as move-in day is announced.
While all signs indicate high occupancy at lodging properties, there are still many opportunities for travelers to plan last-minute getaways. Josh Labbe, manager of The Hotel Portsmouth, says he typically sees a lot of last-minute reservations and encourages seacoast travelers to act quickly, as he expects bookings to come in rapidly in the last few days leading up to the weekend.
Visitors to the state can explore these events and activities this weekend:
· Taste and tour NH’s breweries & wineries
· 146th Annual Lancaster Fair
· 27th Annual Labor Day Weekend Craft Fair at the Bay in Alton
· Tax-Free Shopping for NH-Made products or deals at outlet stores
· Fireworks at Hampton Beach
· Act One Presents the Spitfire Grill in Portsmouth
· Camping at 20 NH State Parks
For vacation inspiration, visit www.visitnh.gov.
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