New York Tourism - Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

History & Vision

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection History Highlights

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection (Ontario County Four Seasons Local Development Corporation) is the tourism promotion and management agency for Ontario County.

February 1983
Ontario County Four Seasons incorporated as a local development corporation and subsequently contracted by Ontario County "for the purposes of publicizing the advantages of Ontario County as a tourist destination."

June 1984
Executive Director, Valerie Knoblauch hired and official program of work established. Office located at 248 South Main Street, Canandaigua.

1984- September 2002
Funding mechanism established as a percent of local sales tax revenues from the dining and lodging industry.

May 1987
Ontario County Four Seasons designated as the Tourism Promotion Agency for Ontario County, making the agency eligible to receive grants for tourism promotion under the NYS Matching Funds Program.

May 1994
Ontario County Tourism Bureau name adopted.

December 1996
Achieved 501 (c) 3 status.

July 1998
Ontario County Tourism Bureau moves to County Offices at 20 Ontario Street.

November 2000
Adopted the d.b.a. Finger Lakes Visitors Connection in response to consumer recognition of the Finger Lakes brand identity.

September 2002
Occupancy tax of 3% begins for the purposes of funding tourism promotion and the agency. This replaces the existing funding formula for Finger Lakes Visitors Connection.

May 30, 2003 – August 20, 2003
On May 30, the corporation purchases 1984 Victorian house at 25 Gorham Street and moves its offices there on August 20, 2003.

2004
Finger Lakes Visitors Connection celebrates 20 years of tourism promotion and marketing.

Mission

To create visitorship and economic vitality for Ontario County by marketing its tourism assets and positioning the area as a premier leisure and meetings destination.

Vision

Tourism is recognized as an industry that contributes to the economic prosperity of Ontario County by infusing new dollars into our communities, enhancing the quality of life for our residents, and promoting the natural beauty of our county.

Tourism Fact
The Smith Opera House, a turn of the century theatre, has been the site for many famous performances, and noted by Itzhak Perlman as one of the finest acoustical theatres in the United States.

Featured Program
Need to know how to market your tourism related business more effectively? Come to Marketing Day on November 17th at the Inn on the Lake. A look ahead to 2005 will set the stage for successful tourism promotion.

Featured Partner
It's holiday time and a great time to tour the Canandaigua Wine Trail. To get their newest trail map brochure, give us a call at 877-FUN-IN-NY.

Trivia
During the time of building of Belhurst Castle, an old woodworker’s tradition was to carve your fellow workers. So, yes, we do have faces in the wood – there are 2 on the main staircase, 2 on the great hall fireplace, 2 in the castle lounge, 2 in the music room and 1 under the porte cochere

This site brought to you by A Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, Ontario County, New York 14424
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