U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was at Old Fort Niagara near Niagara Falls on Monday to announce that the federal government is working to draw more visitors the Buffalo/Niagara region.
Gillibrand, a Democrat, says a new campaign by Brand USA is expected to promote the Greater Niagara Region as an international destination.
“This has the potential to be a major economic driver, tourism is already the top industry for our region, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and supporting thousands of local jobs. Last year alone visitors spent close to $500 million to travel here in Niagara County,” said Gillibrand.
The campaign includes featuring the region as a "Trip Idea" on the New York state page of Brand USA's "Discover America" website. Travel from the 40 countries in which Brand USA has a presence makes up 93 percent of inbound traffic to the United States.
“The greater Niagara region has it all from the awe inspiring, magnificence of Niagara Falls, to the vineyards of the Niagara wine trail, to fishing and boating on Lake Ontario, to the battle sites of the war of 1812, and the architectural gems just up the river in Buffalo like the Darwin Martin house. This area offers truly amazing experiences that everyone should have the chance to enjoy,” said Gillibrand.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, also a Democrat, is among those urging the Brand USA site to highlight Niagara Falls and Buffalo’s architecture.
Brand USA is a federally funded tourism website, established by Congress in 2010 to lead the nation‘s first global marketing effort to promote the United States as a travel destination.
