Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan (R,C-Manchester) hosted a tourism day in the Finger Lakes alongside Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-Watertown) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) in conjunction with the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce and local upstate tourism leaders two weeks ago. During this event, the Assemblymembers led a roundtable discussion to examine what’s working and what’s not, and how our state can play a role in growing local tourism.

Gallahan, Gray, Palmesano and the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce joined local business owners at several locations during their tour around the Finger Lakes Region, including Muranda Cheese with owner Tom Murray, Three Brothers Winery with owners Luanne Mansfield and Erica Paolicelli and finally, del Lago Casino with general manager Lance Young. The group wrapped up their day with a roundtable discussion going over issues facing upstate small businesses and what can be done to promote increased tourism in the future. Issues discussed included infrastructure needs such as sewer and water access, housing and staffing issues.

“It was a pleasure to welcome the Minority Tourism Task Force to my district. The day was very productive and informative,” said Gallahan. “Tourism in the upstate region is essential for local businesses and families who call it home—preserving and promoting tourism upstate is imperative, and days like this are a great first step toward identifying courses of action. I am proud of the constructive ideas we discussed and I’m excited to see where they take us as we look to the future.”

“Thank you to the local chambers of commerce, local leaders and business owners for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns to make the tourism industry stronger,” said Gray. “Thank you also to my colleague Assemblyman Gallahan for hosting the Minority Tourism Task Force in the Finger Lakes and showing us what makes this region so great.”

“I was very pleased to be able to participate in the Minority Tourism Task Force tour,” said Palmesano. “Thank you to the local businesses that opened their doors to us and provided a great opportunity to see firsthand the impact tourism has in upstate New York. Not only are these great locations for tourists to visit, but the economic impact on the local and regional economy is critical to the well-being of our Finger Lakes Region. Thank you to Assemblyman Gray, Ranking Minority Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee Member, for visiting Seneca County, thank you to Assemblyman Gallahan for hosting the event and area chambers of commerce and local tourism agencies and businesses for participating in the roundtable.”

“On behalf of the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce and our many tourism partners throughout the Finger Lakes region, we applaud Assemblyman Gallahan and his colleagues for making tourism a priority in the state Legislature,” said Chamber President Jeff Shipley. “We look forward to working with them to advance tourism initiatives that will help grow our economy and empower local businesses with the resources they need to provide a world-class hospitality experience.”