Introduction

Tourism is the largest industry in the greater Ossipee area in terms of "export-based" employment, as was shown in the previous chapter. Export employment are those activities which bring revenue into the greater Ossipee area from other places. This is particularly true if seasonal visitors and people who have retired to the greater Ossipee area from elsewhere are viewed as a type of tourist. Even if such people are not viewed as tourists, then tourism is still one of the two largest industries along with manufacturing. Tourism is a very important part of the local economy and has continued opportunities for growth. The major issue for the tourism industry is how that growth should be channeled so it provides the most benefit for people who already live in the area in terms of employment opportunities and quality of life.

Some of the major concerns are: to make tourism less seasonal and to increase the average annual wage for people who are employed in that industry; to avoid having the traffic congestion and aesthetic blight of North Coney while continuing to attract more visitors; to have current visitors to the area spend more time and money within the six town area; and to improve the attractions, events, restaurants and recreational facilities for residents of the area so their quality of life is also improved.

The first task was to better understand the current visitors and what attracted them to the area. A more detailed look at the character of the industry in the greater Ossipee area and how it differed from other parts of the state provides insights as to how the industry might change. Finally, a discussion of goals for the industry was held and two alternative brochures designed which would promote those aspects of the region which would attract the desired types of visitors.

The tourism industry has traditionally had as part of its role the attraction of future residents of the area, some of whom bring their businesses in other industries with them when they relocate to the Ossipee area. Thus, tourism promotion and development also supports broad-based economic development. In the following section we look first at the types of tourists currently attracted to the greater Ossipee area.

General Observations of the Visitors Survey

The Greater Ossipee Area Chamber of Commerce and Northern Economic Planners developed and distributed a survey form for visitors to the area during the early fall in 1995. Forms were distributed at motels and campgrounds. While the response was smaller than anticipated, there were few surprises. If we assume that the returns were representative for fall visitors to the Ossipee area, then the following general statements can be made.

The average party size is slightly larger and more likely to consist exclusively of family members than the typical travel party visiting the state in the fall.

The average travel party is more likely to stay longer, but spend less per visitor day, than the typical travel party visiting the state during the fall.

The average travel party has the same geographic distribution of their home towns as the typical fall travel party visiting the state.

The typical fall visitor to the greater Ossipee area is also very likely to visit during all other seasons of the year. Repeat visits are very common for visitors to the area.

The typical fall visitor made almost no use of locally prepared information in making the decision to visit the area. Other than personal information, they were most likely to use travel and campground guide books in making this trip decision. They made significant use of local newspapers and brochures when deciding what to do while in the area. Some visitors expressed a desire for an information center on Route 16.

The Greater Ossipee area already functions as a "hub" for overnight visitors who take day trips to other areas for shopping, attractions and cultural activities.

The most important activity within the area for these fall visitors was rest and relaxation, at a far higher level than for the typical fall visitor to the state. Outdoor recreational opportunities ranked second for the area and usually ranks first in state-wide surveys. Unlike some other areas of the state, business travelers were almost non-existent among overnight visitors.

The images the area has for most visitors are of the mountains and forests. Very few mentioned the lakes, perhaps because of the limited visual and physical access to the lakes, especially from the major highways.

The visitors have the same aesthetic concerns regarding Route 16 as area residents, including signage and strip development. They are also concerned with the safety at the Route 16 and 25 intersection in West Ossipee. There was a desire for a few new restaurants and retail stores, but not the overdeveloped look and traffic levels of North Conway.

Because only 23 usable surveys were collected from five lodging locations during the Fall of 1995, it is difficult to make meaningful interpretations of the data beyond a single season. It is quite possible that surveys collected in different seasons would have sampled different demographic groups. It was not surprising that of the 23 respondents, 20 said that they visited the area in the Fall, given the period of sampling. It is interesting, however, that 14 respondents also chose the Summer and 11 chose the winter. This suggests that within this sampling, visitors enjoy multiple visits per year. That is significantly different from a "three season" region where different populations visit in each season as is common elsewhere in New Hampshire.

Several questions asked for subjective opinions such as what was liked most or least, what words characterize the region, or what activities are enjoyed most during a particular season. Responses to these questions did reveal specific themes or similarities. The tabulation of responses and the tabulation appendix should be consulted for these themes or similarities. Specific topics are discussed in the conclusions section of this report. Generally, respondents liked the scenery, the rolling hills and mountain views, the foliage, and the quiet settings of Ossipee Lake and local campgrounds.

Major community concerns voiced in the first visioning session seem to be also supported by visitor opinions. For example, residents voiced strong concerns about traffic patterns at the intersection(s) of Routes 16 and 25. This same concern was voiced by four respondents to the "What I like least about the Ossipee Area" question. In a more generalized way, the concern was expressed by an additional four people who disliked traffic levels on Route 16 in Conway and North Conway.

The respondents had a strong and favorable opinion of the quiet, rural nature of the Ossipee area and did not appear to have much interest in more elaborate, resort or destination developments. Apparently, the respondents enjoy the peace and quiet and the pastoral country setting and are willing to drive to Conway and North Conway for shopping, factory outlets, and organized recreational activities. The respondents did like the Ossipee area's opportunities for unstructured recreation such as boating, canoeing, swimming, camping, fishing, hunting, and hiking. This expression might make it more difficult for residents to resolve whether and how they should create a "tourist destination" that would induce longer stays by current day-trip visitors.

The most widely used information source on the Ossipee area is word-of-mouth from friends and relatives familiar with the area followed by their own previous travel experiences. Specifically, 12 of the 23 respondents selected each of these categories and each scored at or next to the top as a preferred source of information. Responses for media such as brochures, magazines, and travel guides scored low both in numbers of responses and in order of importance. This suggests that other than locally distributed maps and guides, media promotion is not widely used or preferred.

The Fall season visitors who responded to the survey typically travel in family groups (16 out of 23 responses); they stay an average of 3 days in the area; they plan their visits well in advance (8 out of 23 respondents plan 6-12 months in advance and 7 out of 23 respondents plan 1-2 months in advance); and the decision to visit the area is made jointly between male and female family members. Fall season visitors primarily spend their money on lodging, restaurants, gas and tolls (of the 20 respondents that filled out the expenditure log, each of these categories received either 20 or 19 entries). To a lesser degree respondents spent money at grocery stores, or for tickets/admissions, or shopping other than groceries.

With the exception of three visitors from distant U.S. locations (Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Oregon) and one visitor from Alberta Canada, most people come from the northeast region: seven from Massachusetts, one from Rhode Island, five from New Hampshire, one from Maine, and three from Connecticut. This suggests that most visitors are within a day's drive and come from a similar natural setting. This would support the observation that visitors are familiar with the Ossipee environment because it is much like their own (i.e., New England) but it is noticeably more rural and perhaps pristine.

The tabulations of responses to Question 10 ("What are the purposes/activities of your trip?") provide an interesting insight into what the respondents do while staying in the Ossipee area. Generally, it appears that this group uses the Ossipee area as an overnight "hub" for day trip activities such as shopping in North Conway, visits to natural settings such as Mount Washington, the Flume and Gorge, or the Kangamangus Highway; or destinations such as Castle in the Clouds, Storyland, the North Conway railroad ride, or Santa's Village. Strong responses were also made for localized activities such as "Rest and Relaxation" and "Outdoor Recreation." No one selected "Business-related travel."

The information tabulated in the local survey was expanded and contrasted by using visitor surveys conducted statewide by the Institute for New Hampshire Studies for the State Office of Travel and Tourism Development. This expanded analysis helped formulate the folling conclusions and recommended actions.