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NH Tourism Officials Project Another Record Season

Published Friday May 27, 2022

Lori Harnois at press conferenceNew Hampshire Travel and Tourism Director Lori Harnois discusses projections for a record-breakng summer tourism season.


The Memorial Day weekend, traditionally the start of the summer tourist season, is expected to kick off another record-setting Summer season for visitors to the Granite State. The NH Division of Travel and Tourism Development is projected 4.6 million visitors and spending exceeding $2.2 billion this summer.

This continues a trend in NH, having set new visitation and spending records every fully operational season. In Summer 2021, the Granite State attracted 4.4 million visitors, reflecting a 21% increase over the previous pre-pandemic visitation record set in 2019. The primary factors that contributed to last summer’s strong performance included a combination of pent-up travel demand, drivable outdoor leisure activities, and early targeted marketing efforts.

“Over the past five years, every season has seen more people discovering what New Hampshire has to offer for travelers looking for a huge variety of summer activities. The collaboration between the State and our tourism industry has been unprecedented during that time, and it is clearly paying off,” says Taylor Caswell, commissioner of NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “Our tourism industry went from recovery to record breaking in one year and is on track to beat that once again this year.”

State data suggests that the spike in visitation in 2021 has yielded new visitors who are choosing to return, with current hotel occupancy and mobile data already revealing strong visitation performance over 2019.

Another positive factor contributing to 2022 forecasts is the reopening of the Canadian border, which was closed during last summer’s record-setting season. Canada is NH's top international market.

Summer is traditionally the busiest season in NH in terms of economic impact. While optimistic about the momentum for both visitor volume and spending for the upcoming summer season, the state has identified potential challenges.

“While leisure travel sentiment and projected visitation numbers have returned to 2019 levels, we do anticipate increased competitive pressures,” says NH Travel and Tourism Director Lori Harnois. “In addition to higher gas prices and inflation, travelers are also looking to plan the longer – and long haul – trips that they may have postponed for the past two years.”

New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation Director Phil Bryce says NH's state parks and other outdoor ammenities continue to see significant demand, especially earlier in the season, and campers are at all-time record levels.

“We continue to work strategically utilizing a variety of tactics to capture market share among our core and expanded target audiences,” says Harnois. “We’re confident the range of opportunities from outdoor adventures to arts and culture  available across the state will continue to attract new and returning visitors to New Hampshire.”

Visitors traveling to New Hampshire are encouraged to commit to the “Granite State Promise.” The campaign encourages people to plan ahead, be patient, and be respectful to ensure a safe and more enjoyable trip.

 

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