Conclusions from the Visitors Survey

Based on this sampling, we would not recommend launching a media-based (television or radio) program to stimulate tourism in the Ossipee area. Area businesses and organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce should, however, work in cooperation with public sector agencies and regional promotional organizations to be included in any joint promotional programs using printed materials.

The Ossipee area's strongest selling point is its lack of development. Those who responded to the survey seemed to be saying: "what we want to hear is silence, or the wind in the trees, or the loons;" and "what we want to see is an unimpacted natural environment;" and "what we want to do is enjoy a quiet time in an unstructured way;" and "what we want to visit can be an hour or so away, despite the traffic."

Tourism development could be meaningful and productive if it encourages local residents (year-round or seasonal) to encourage friends and relatives to visit. Independently produced brochures, maps, and activity calendars could be make more accessible through Chamber-based promotions.

Because most visitors apparently come from New England and because they tend to stay for a week-end or a brief visit, there could be potential for connected or related low key, low-impact activities that emphasize the environmental setting. For example, a trail system that interconnects local sites, activities, lodging establishments, and dining spots could be used by walkers/hikers in the summer, leafpeepers in the fall, and cross-country skiers and snowmobilers in the winter. The promotional approach could be a good times theme such as "One good thing leads to another in the Ossipee area."

A large share of the visitors to the greater Ossipee area are staying overnight in the area. However, they often spend their days and money outside the greater Ossipee area. This means that there is an opportunity to provide more services to these visitors.

Visitor Spending and Seasonality

Tourists and seasonal residents spent an estimated $29.4 million during 1994 in the six town study area. This estimated spending does not include retired residents and represents about 11.5 percent of total gross domestic product for the six town area. This compares with tourism spending comprising 9.5 percent of gross state product in 1994 on a state-wide basis as noted in the New Hampshire Fiscal Year 1994 Travel Economics Report.

Table 12 (below) provides a break-out of this estimated spending by tourists and seasonal residents in 1994. The inclusion of seasonal residents in this calculation shows the relatively lower spending level by greater Ossipee area visitors on such items as restaurants, lodging and recreation (29 %) and higher spending at retail stores (43 %) and for second home mortgages and government taxes and services (14 %) than would be the case for the typical visitor to New Hampshire who spends 48 percent for restaurants, lodging and recreation, 39 percent at retail stores and only eight percent for mortgages and government taxes and services.

Table 13 (below) shows the estimated number of visitor days spent by type of overnight accommodation used. Almost 60 percent of all visitor overnights in the six town study area are spent in cottages and cabins by seasonal residents and by those using their own second homes or are staying for free as friends and relatives of the owners. This reliance by visitors on seasonal and second homes is far higher than the state-wide average, but is common for the Lakes Region which contains almost half of the state's seasonal housing stock, but attracts only about one-fifth of the state's overnight visitors.

Also notable in the greater Ossipee area is the number of overnight campground users as shown in Table 13. The greater Ossipee area has one of the largest concentrations state-wide of campgrounds, some of which are really full-service resorts and are highly rated in regional campground directories. Campgrounds are an important part of the local tourist industry and are one of the faster growing forms of tourism in New England as more families are now renting a space at a campground for the season (or even for the year) for a semi-permanent vehicle. Increasingly these vehicles are also occupied on weekends during the colder weather seasons as well.

The smallest proportion of overnight visitors in the greater Ossipee area stay at hotels, inns, motels, and bed and breakfasts or rent summer cottages by the week. Visitors who use these accommodations appear to be the most seasonal in visitation. They also spend the most money per day while visiting, but do not visit as often as other types of overnight visitors. Some members of this group eventually decide to buy a summer home in the area and then may move to the area on a seasonal or year-round basis as they near retirement age.

Table 14 (below) shows the seasonality of estimated visits by tourists and business travelers to the greater Ossipee area and also state-wide. The greater Ossipee area has a higher share of summer and fall visitors, far fewer visitors proportionally during the winter and slightly fewer visitors proportionally during the spring than the state-wide average. Ways to increase visits during the winter and spring are reviewed later in this chapter. The number estimated visitors are based on car counters operated by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation within the greater Ossipee area and within Carroll County. This in turn can be compared with state Rooms and Meals tax receipts records for Carroll County and state-wide.

Table 15 (below) shows the estimated spending by tourists and seasonal residents by season in the greater Ossipee area. In comparing Tables 14 and 15 it can be seen that winter visitors spend more than the average visitor annually, summer visitors spend about the same amount and fall and spring visitors spend less per day than the annual average. Even with higher average spending per day per average winter visitor, spending seasonally is still more highly concentrated in the summer and fall seasons in the greater Ossipee area, especially during the summer months of June, July and August.