Ulster County panel approves $248,275 tourism marketing contract amid accessibility and safety concerns

The Ulster County committee approved a $248,275 contract with Medium Giant Company Inc. to promote Ulster County as an accessible tourism destination for a campaign spanning July 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025. The contract is described by staff as funded through an Economic Development Authority (EDA) allocation and state sources; no county match was required.

Committee members asked when the marketing campaign would roll out and were told work has been paused pending contract execution; staff indicated portions of the work were begun by the vendor and that the contract had been backdated to cover preparatory work. One member asked whether the start and end dates of the contract would change; staff said the campaign is on hold until the contract is secured and that dates may be adjusted in practice.

Members raised accessibility coordination with a proposed arts & culture director position and asked about keeping tourism dollars local. Several legislators cautioned about promoting bike‑packing amid recent pedestrian fatalities and emphasized incorporating pedestrian and bicycle safety messaging and off‑road trail options into marketing materials. "I’m a little worried about the bike packing campaign in a county where we're having so many pedestrian fatalities," one legislator said, urging safety elements be included before broad promotion.

Staff also reported during the meeting that the county’s occupancy tax receipts exceeded projections for 2024 (about 1.6–1.7 times projected) and that Love New York was filming a winter commercial in the county, signaling strong recent tourism activity.

The committee moved, seconded and approved the Medium Giant contract; staff said further campaign and procurement details will be finalized once the contract is executed.