County has New Brand to Promote Tourism

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — "Upstate Vacations" is the new Schoharie County tourism brand. Destination Marketing President and CEO Cassandra Majestic made that announcement during her presentation at the Friday, May 15 county Board of Supervisors meeting. Destination Marketing, a nonprofit, contracts with the county to promote tourism and Majestic frequently updates the BOS on its efforts.

"Schoharie County doesn't hold much brand recognition, even three counties away," said Majestic in explaining the creation of the new brand. She gave a lot of credit on that initiative to Destination Marketing Marketing Manager Sam Forehand, who accompanied Majestic to the May 15 BOS meeting and handed out copies of the handsome new "Upstate Vacations" visitor's booklet to all board and audience members.

The 60-page booklet has loads of information and photos on attractions throughout Schoharie County. The entire booklet is also available online at upstatevacations.com. Hard copies can also be ordered from that site. Forehand said the booklets will be distributed and available for free at travel centers, Dick's Sporting Goods, Cabella's, recreation centers and other places within the New York City Greater Metropolitan Area, I-87 corridor, New Jersey and Greater Philadelphia area. She and Majestic explained that most of Schoharie County's visitors come from those regions.

Majestic added that Destination Marketing is also working to make Schoharie County more prominent on Google tourism searches, among many other efforts on behalf of the county.

In other news from the May 15 BOS meeting, County Clerk Lawrence Caza spoke briefly on an idea to create a county real estate transfer tax as a way to generate more revenue for the county, which is facing many financial challenges.

Caza said the state charges a real estate transfer tax when properties are sold but that many counties in NYS _ including Madison, Broome and Essex _ also charge their own. "We wouldn't be breaking new ground," he said.

Under Caza's idea, the county would charge $2 per $500 of selling price, which on a sale of $200,000 would result in $800 in revenue for the county. If the county BOS decided to pursue the matter, it would eventually have to go to the state legislature for permission and have a public hearing by the BOS, he added. No action was taken at the May 15 meeting and county BOS members will give the idea more thought.

The BOS after a public hearing at the May 15 meeting voted to not establish a registration system for short-term rental units. Board Chairman Bill Federice was the lone no vote, saying such a registration system could be useful "from the standpoint of safety. We don't know they are there."

But other board members said lists of short-term rentals are maintained and that a county registration system is not necessary.

"I think we have a good handle on where these places are," Supervisor Alicia Terry said.