Recent Olympic Trail Scenic Byway News

• Town resolutions are being updated and business support letters are being collected by the Tug Hill Commission regarding a western route extension to Henderson Harbor of the Olympic Byway.
• ANCA has worked with the Essex County planning office and their staff who are meeting with several of the eastern Olympic towns that submitted resolutions to not participate in the Olympic Corridor planning that concluded in 2005. Communities have recognized the benefits of the program and the accompanying funding. Discussions include plans on how to reengage the communities which chose not to participate. CMP copies have been distributed to town council members.
• In May ANCA staff provided input to the Tug Hill Commission on the finalization of the Olympic corridor extension into Henderson Harbor.
• ANCA provided communications to Sackets Harbor to discuss their role as a contributing byway community and the potential for confusion with the Seaway Trail if they were identified as a "terminus" of the Olympic Byway.

• ANCA implemented a regional marketing program to include print and web-based communications with communities and stakeholders along the Adirondack and Olympic Scenic Byways. ANCA initiated work with Susan Fuller in the coordination of community outreach and hosted a series of marketing meetings on the following dates:
  January 24/ Adirondack Trail: Exploration of what visitors want; discussion of target markets and how to improve the visitor experience.
  February 22/ Olympic Trail: Launch of the marketing campaign for the byway which spans six counties.
  March 8/ Adirondack Trail Brochure Development: Discussion of the planning needs for the brochure, including format, content, user-base, maps and distribution. Discussion of the need for web posting of the brochure.
  March 13/ Olympic Byway Branding Meeting: Discussion of the byway brand based on the theme of "Olympic Spirit " and its importance as a tool for communities. The facilitated meeting included identification of a branding tool that will allow the communities to promote themselves and compete with other similar tourism destinations.
  April 17/ Stakeholder Meeting of the Adirondack Trail and Olympic Scenic Byways: Discussion of website planning including 1) to inform participants of the details for development of the internet presence; 2) explanation of why the site is necessary and how it will be distinctive from and coordinated with other sites related to the Adirondack North Country Region; 3) the opportunity for stakeholder input on community needs, objectives and functionality of the website.
  April 25/ Art, Crafts and Foods Along the Scenic Byways: Staff and contractor’s discussion about ANCA’s goal of merging the Art, Crafts and Foods touring publication with the Scenic Byways Program.
  The meetings enable ANCA to have a first-hand presence in communities to find out what is going on while simultaneously showing communities what is available. Projects being planned across the region and important networks are being forged. Meetings have been attended by representatives from lodgings, chambers of commerce, county tourism offices, The Wild Center, Adirondack Museum, the Visitor Interpretive Center, event coordinators, realtors, shop owners, county planners, NYS Snowmobile Association and promotional businesses. ANCA’s contractor, Susan Fuller, participated in the North/ South Chamber Mixer on March 13 for the Malone and Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerces. A follow-up cover story was developed by the Malone Telegram on ANCA’s Byway outreach and marketing.
• ANCA contacted the various county tourism offices to ensure that ANCA is accurately reflecting any current tourism plans in ANCA’s initiative.
• Beyond achieving the marketing goals put forth in the CMP’s, the work sessions are enabling the communities to understand the benefits of the byways program.
• Staff completed the branding and consensus building for the Adirondack Trail and Olympic Byways.
• Staff distributed RFP’s for the web and brochure projects, reviewed applicant responses, scheduled interviews and prepared board recommendations. On September 19 staff met with the bidders for the brochure and website to discuss project details and have prepared a recommendation for candidate selection for the ANCA board. Selected Holmes and Associates as the technician to develop the web project for three byways and serve as ANCA’s model. ANCA selected In the Woods Design to develop the Adirondack Trail brochure.