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Arts partnerships and Visit Ithaca report highlight tourism gains, funding wins and ongoing challenges
Summary
Presenters said arts collaborations have unlocked state grants and marketing projects while Visit Ithaca reported strong earned media (CNN recognition) and a $445,525 first‑quarter room tax figure; staff noted declines in some international visitor center traffic and ongoing efforts to boost conference and leisure bookings.
Committee members received updates on arts and culture collaborations and Visit Ithaca’s 2025 annual report, covering marketing, grants and tourism performance metrics.
Megan Barber, executive director of the Community Arts Partnership, said engagement with the Arts Consulting Group produced marketing collaborations, a passport program concept and a regional murals initiative. Barber highlighted a successful $99,000 award from the New York State Council on the Arts for murals and events including a mural jam at Southworks and rural mural projects. "This work ... planted a lot of interesting seeds," she said, noting partnerships that led to both funding and advocacy efforts linking arts to health and wellbeing.
Visit Ithaca leaders presented key metrics: 52,000+ visitor touch points in 2025 (visitor centers, web chats, off‑site events), first‑quarter room tax receipts of $445,525, and substantial earned media including CNN naming Ithaca the best town to visit in 2025. Jod Laier noted international visitor center foot traffic was down roughly 50% year‑over‑year but said earned national coverage and targeted marketing (including campaigns in Canada and winter collaborations with Cortland County) remain priorities. The tourism team reported 2024 visitor spending at roughly $320 million, which staff said supported jobs and generated state and local taxes.
Committee members asked whether downtown incidents had affected conference center bookings; Visit Ithaca staff reported site‑visit feedback and recent group events indicated visitors continued to have positive experiences and that the conference center’s attached parking was an advantage for groups. Staff said a gap in sales staffing during part of 2025 reduced outcomes but recent hires have boosted outreach and the team is actively pursuing domestic and international trade and media leads.
Why it matters: arts‑sector grants have been leveraged to expand community programming, while tourism metrics and earned media drive visitor interest and economic impact; staff flagged the need to maintain up‑to‑date online listings, and to continue sales outreach to sustain conference and leisure business.
