“Travel and tourism is an integral part of Oneida County, powering a strong local economy, creating jobs, and strengthening our community’s culture and identity,” OCT President Kelly Blazosky said in a press release. “This National Travel and Tourism Week, we are proud to celebrate all that travel does for our community now and all that it will contribute to the future.”
To recognize travel’s contributions, OCT staff will visit all 51 hotels in the county to drop off cookies from So Sweet Candy Shoppe.
The organization is also launching the Oneida County Mural Trail with partners Munson, Utica Monday Night, and Sickenberger Lane. The trail features murals created by local and visiting artists.
OCT also partnered with Advance Media to conduct 360-degree virtual tours at full-service hotels and venues around the county. Filming will continue throughout the month.
Established in 1983, National Travel and Tourism week marks the U.S. travel industry’s role in stimulating economic growth, creating job opportunities, and stimulating business activity. The U.S. travel industry produced a $2.6 trillion economic output in 2022, supporting 15 million jobs. Travel spending generated nearly $160 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.