Warren County committee reviews outdoor recreation strategy and new Lake George branding

The Warren County Tourism Committee heard a presentation on a countywide outdoor recreation economy strategic plan and a proposed Lake George area brand positioning that county staff say aim to boost visitor spending and support year-round economic activity.

Ethan Gaddy, Planning Department staff, told the committee the two‑year strategic plan documents how the county could “further leverage our outdoor recreation assets” through investments, coordination and pursuit of state and federal grants. “Warren County has this remarkable wealth of assets and outdoor recreation,” Gaddy said, adding that tourism and related sectors represent “one third of our county's overall economy.”

The consultant team and county staff presented a roughly 60‑page strategy that synthesizes focus groups, a visitor survey and third‑party data (including STR and regional studies) to profile current visitors and identify growth opportunities. The presenters said the visitor base skews older — 83% of survey respondents were over age 50 — and that 45% of respondents stay four nights or more while 42% stay two to three nights.…