Fort Ticonderoga Generates Nearly $9 Million Economic Impact for Surrounding Region and State

Fort Ticonderoga. (Photo Credit Carl Heilman.) — Fort Ticonderoga. (Photo Credit: Carl Heilman.)

Fort Ticonderoga, a not-for-profit educational organization and major cultural destination, announced today that it generates a total of $8.9 million annually in economic impact. The total includes visitor spending from tourists; spending by the Fort Ticonderoga Association in its daily operations; the indirect and induced impacts created by labor income as it flows into the regional economy; and tax revenue generated by that spending.

The economic impact announcement made today at Fort Ticonderoga’s Deborah Clarke Mars Education Center was celebrated by regional and state officials, as well as local and regional business leaders, regional non-profit leaders, and tourism representatives.

Featured speakers at the major announcement included New York State Senator Elizabeth O’C. Little; New York Assemblyman Dan Stec; Garry Douglas, President and CEO of the North Country Chamber of Commerce; James McKenna, President and CEO of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism; Bill Grinnell, Ticonderoga Town Supervisor; Sanford W. Morhouse, Fort Ticonderoga Association Chairman of the Board; and Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga Association President and CEO.

“Fort Ticonderoga is a world renowned cultural destination, historic site, and museum that educates and inspires while creating jobs and generating revenue,” said Betty Little, New York State Senate, 45th District. “It is a model of how we can promote cultural tourism in one of America’s most beautiful settings and gain an economic benefit important to the sustainability and growth of our Adirondack communities.”

“This report quantifies what we already know to be true,” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “Fort Ticonderoga’s iconic story and mission of education and preservation translate into real and substantial economic impact confirming Fort Ticonderoga’s place in the present and more importantly, in the region’s economic future. Fort Ticonderoga is a major statewide and regional asset with major plans for the years ahead.”

Fort Ticonderoga Economic Impact Report Details

Impact Upon Jobs:

Visitor spending by the over 66,000 annual Fort Ticonderoga guests while in the region generates a substantial direct economic impact- over $5 million annually.
80 local jobs depend directly upon Fort Ticonderoga visitation, representing $2.4 million in labor income that flows into the regional economy.
These 80 jobs generate a total of $5.4 million in economic output, counting direct, indirect, and induced impacts.
Combined, guest spending and Fort Ticonderoga’s operations generate a total of 120 jobs, adding $3.7 million in labor income to the economy.

Impact Upon Tax Revenue:

Nearly $1.8 million in annual tax revenue generated to federal, state and regional governments.
$782,758 in state and local taxes and an additional $545,273 in federal taxes.
The state and regional revenue reduces the annual tax burden for every local household in Essex County, NY by an estimated $47.69.

Impact Upon Tourism:

85% of guests say that Fort Ticonderoga is the primary reason for visiting the Ticonderoga area.
75% of Fort Ticonderoga’s 66,000 guests visited the area for the first time in 2013.

Impact Upon Lodging:

54% of Fort Ticonderoga guests spent at least one night in regional commercial lodging (hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, rental cabins, etc.) specifically as a part of their Fort Ticonderoga visit.
24% of Fort Ticonderoga guests spent the night in commercial lodging in and around the town of Ticonderoga.
Average stay by Fort guests in commercial lodging on their visit is 2 nights.
One-quarter of Fort Ticonderoga guests stayed 3 or more nights in commercial lodging.

Economic Impact of the Spending by Fort Ticonderoga Guests:

Total spending per guest associated with a visit to Fort Ticonderoga is $75.02 including food and beverage, lodging, gas/auto, retail, and entertainment.

In 2013 the Fort Ticonderoga Association of Ticonderoga, NY commissioned Magellan Strategy Group to perform an economic impact study analyzing Fort Ticonderoga’s impact upon the surrounding region. The report utilized data provided by guests visiting Fort Ticonderoga in 2013 and utilized the highly regarded IMPLAN software. The study employed a conservative approach to measuring guest spending that evaluated only those expenditures that occurred as a result of visiting Fort Ticonderoga.

This study is part of a larger Fort Ticonderoga destination master plan currently being developed which will integrate Fort Ticonderoga’s 2000 acre learning campus and 2 miles of shoreline on Lake Champlain.

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About Fort Ticonderoga

Located on Lake Champlain in the beautiful 6 million acre Adirondack Park, Fort Ticonderoga is a not-for-profit historic site and museum that ensures that present and future generations learn from the struggles, sacrifices, and victories that shaped the nations of North America and changed world history.

Visit www.FortTiconderoga.org or call 518-585-2821 for a full list of ongoing programs, admission prices, and current hours. Fort Ticonderoga is located at 100 Fort Ti Road, Ticonderoga, New York.