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Background

TheeconomyoftheLakePlacid/NorthElbaregion,andAdirondackParkasawhole,hasbeen

dependentupontourismsincetheturnofthe20thCentury.Duringtheearly1900'stheregionmarketeditselfasawaytoescapeurbanenvironmentsandtheheatofsummer.Afterthe

1932and1980Olympics,themarketingthrustchangedandtheemphasiswasplacedonathleticcontestsandchallengingactivities.Today,aprimary

drivingforceoftourismisoutdooractivitiesintheAdirondackPark.Mostoftheseactivitiestakeplaceduringthesummerandwintermonths.Tohelpfill

thevoidduringtheoff‐peaktouristseasons,theTownhasbeensuccessfulindrawingvisitorstotheregionthroughspecialeventsandconventions.

Whilethisgeneralstrategyremainssuccessfultherearesocietalfluctuationsthatneedtobeaddressed.

First, populations of the nation and the region areaging. As a result these older, more economically

securevisitorstendtodemandmorevaluefortheirexperience while at the same time the number oftalentedyoungpeopleavailableto liveandwork in

thecommunityandprovidethatvaluedecreases.

A second major change involves technology. Newmarketing tools and technologies allow businesses andareas to communicate and cooperate more effectively.

This opens the door to regional and area marketingstrategies, allows for penetration into new markets, and

givesbusinessesnewmethodstoreachconsumers.

Finally,peoplehaveaheightenedsenseoftheirimpactonthe environment. Businesses and products are oftenpromotedas"eco‐friendly"and"sustainable."Sincemanyvisitorscometotheregiontoenjoy

theunspoiledenvironmentthistrendprovidesanotherchallengeandopportunity.

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VisionforEconomyandTourism

Lake Placid / North Elba continue to meet the changing demographics and expectations oftoday’s traveler through enhanced customer services, and the use of new marketingtechnologiesthatareprovidedinaneco‐friendlyandsustainableway.

The communitymaintains a thriving economy comprisedof small businesses that collaborate

andutilizenewtechnologiestoprovideopportunitiesforthenextgenerationofentrepreneurs.

Goals,ObjectivesandImplementationMeasures

Objective1:Identifycommunity‐widecustomerservicetrainingresourcesandneeds.

ImplementationMeasures

• CreateaTourismReadinessCommittee comprisedof keystakeholders toconductanassessmentofexistingcustomerservicetraining.

o Develop an inventory of public and private customer service trainingresources.

o Identifygapsinexistinginventory.

Objective2:ImplementrecommendationsoftheTourismReadinessCommittee.

ImplementationMeasures

• Seek funding to establish a community‐wide customer service trainingprogram.

• Create a Tourism Readiness Committee that develops and promotes acertificationprogramforsuccessfulcompletionof training. Eachbusinesscan

create and implement a customized training program/package resulting in anenhancedemployeeresume.

Goal#1:Enhancethecustomerandvisitorexperiencebycreatinganeducatedworkforcecapableofmeeting/exceedingourcustomers'expectations.

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Objective3:Educatefrontline,customerservicepersonnelwithseasonaltrainingrelatingtoareaexperiences/activities/offerings,andtrainingonhowtoaccessthisinformation.

ImplementationMeasures

• TourismReadinessCommitteefacilitates:

o Bi‐annual/seasonal events to inform front line service personnel of

upcomingactivitiesandcommunityevents.

o Bi‐annual/seasonalevents to informthecommunity at largeofupcomingactivities and community events. Consider new marketing technologiessuchassocialmedia.

o Awarenessaboutwhereandhowtogetinformationcommunity‐wide.

Objective 1: Enhance, promote and increase awarenessof the eco‐friendly offeringsinthearea.

ImplementationMeasures

• Educate businesses, residents and visitors on ways to implement eco‐friendlypracticesandservices.

• Acknowledge,promoteandrewardareabusinessesimplementinggreenpractices.

• Enhance waterfront access and run water‐based tourism that coordinate with

environmentalconcerns(SeeEnvrionment‐section7)

Objective2:Increasevisitorawarenessofareaevents,informationandactivities.

ImplementationMeasure

• Promote the destination website (http://www.lakeplacid.com) through localmarketing campaign within Lake Placid area, reminding visitors and residents ofwheretofindevent/activityinformation.

• Utilizesocialmediatopromoteareaeventsandactivities.

Goal#2:ContinuetopromoteLakePlacidandthesurroundingareaasaneco‐friendlyresidential,business,andtourismdestination.

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• Develop an "Master Plan for Marketing" that creates an integrated, efficientapproachthatestablishesacohesivemessageamongallpartsofthecommunity.

Objective3:Increaseinternetconnection/accesstoencompassLakePlacidby2015.

ImplementationMeasures

• Assembleacommitteetoassesstheavailabilityandscopeofareatobecovered.

• Assess costs and affordability involved. Research/seek sponsorships, grants, paid

advertisingandusingLakePlacidasanOlympicdestinationshouldbeconsidered.

Objective1:Encouragethecreationofnewbusinessstart‐upsand/orthecontinuationof

existingbusinesses.

ImplementationMeasures

• Buildownershipofcommunitybyencouraging"under40"agegrouptoparticipateincommunityprojects,attendtownmeetings,andparticipateoncommittees.

• Involvelocaleducationinstitutions,colleges,workforceboards,LakePlacidBusiness

Associationandcareertrainingcenterstoimplement,ensureawareness,andencourageentrepreneurialtrainingcoursesandmentoringprograms.

• Partnerwithlocalemployerstoidentifyspecifictrainingneedsofpotentialemployeesatalllevels,andtailoreducationalofferingstomeetthoseneeds.

Goal#3:Growandsustainourworkforcefocusingonallagesandabilities.

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Objective1:Enhancesmallbusinessgrowththroughincreasedconnections,cross

promotionandmarketing.

ImplementationMeasures

• Establish an Economic Development Committee to advance Business to Business(B2B)communications,promotionoflocalbusinesses,organizeevents,anddevelopresources.

o Implement a campaign to promote local small businesses ‐ encourage buying

locallyinsupportofthecommunity.

o Develop,planandexecuteabusiness‐to‐businessexpopromotingacommunity‐wideawarenessbenefits.

o Encouragecrosspromotionthroughsocialmediaandemailblasts.

o Develop amaster directory of local businesses, including contact information,services offered and/or products available. Distribute to every home and

business.

o Promote andmarket the current availability of technological resources to thebusinessesandcommunitiesofLakePlacidandsurroundingareas.

o Continue tohost educational seminarsonhowtouse/increaseawarenessandavailabilityofnewandexistingtechnologicalresources.

o Determineproductandserviceneedsthatcanbesharedanddiscountsoffered

toincreaseprofitsbybuyinginbulk.

o Promotebenefitsofbeingself‐employed,butworkingoutsidethehome.

Goal#4:Helpsmallbusinessestodevelopandgrow..

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Objective 1: Increase business and commercial activity alongMain Street in theCentralBusinessDistrict(seeAppendix1).

ImplementationMeasures

• Work with business owners to explore establishing a Business ImprovementDistrict(BID).

• Createandmaintainthecleanlinessofpublicrestroomsandotheramenities.

Objective 2: Increase appropriate commercial development to extended business areas

outsideofMainStreet–SaranacAve,MillHill,andSentinelRoad.

ImplementationMeasures

• Encourage merchants in the various areas to continue to meet and discusscommonconcerns.

• Consider business and commercial activity that complement the central businessdistrict.

Objective3:Encouragecooperationbetweencommercial businesses located alongMain

Streetandadjacentcommercialareas.

ImplementationMeasures

• Encourage cross‐promotion activitiesandevents.

Goal#5:Maintainadynamicdowntownbusinessdistrictandadjacentcommercialareas.

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Objective1:Utilizeavailableemptyrealestatespacetounitesmallbusinessowners,entrepreneurs and/or visitors in needof temporary and/or ‘away fromhome’workspace.

ImplementationMeasures

• Create an Economic Development Committee to assess interest and opportunity to

createa‘co‐op’officespaceorutilizeexistingspaceforsmallbusinessestoshare‘like’officeneeds.

• Identifyandpursueunderutilizedexistingsiteswithusagepotential.• Present opportunity of spending money to save money as a ‘win‐win’ for both the

privatebusinessowner,andthesmallbusinesscommunity.

Goal#6:Promotesharingofservicesandofficespacetoincreaseefficiency,productivityandsuccess.