Vermont Business Magazine The Stowe Area Association (SAA) held its annual Fall Member Meeting on October 26, 2023 in partnership with Stowe Mountain Resort. The meeting was highlighted by a record-setting fall occupancy rate, which SAA reported out to members in attendance. During the three-week foliage season, the average occupancy reached 85%, marking a significant 5.5% increase from the previous year.
Voted fifth Best Place to Visit for Fall in USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, Stowe welcomed over 8,600 guests to the visitor information center in the three-week fall foliage period, with visitors hailing from all 50 states and all major continents minus Antarctica.
McKee Macdonald, President of SAA's Board of Trustees and co-owner of Coldwell Banker Carlson Real Estate, emphasized the value of SAA for the local business community in driving tourism to the Stowe region. "The high fall foliage occupancy reflects the importance of SAA's role in attracting tourism revenue," Macdonald stated.
In line with its commitment to fostering community growth and collaboration, SAA proudly launched the Tourism Talks program this September. This initiative provides SAA business members with a platform to engage in strategic consultations with fellow business owners and managers, enabling them to collectively navigate the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities defining the local business landscape. The next Tourism Talks is slated for mid-December.
Moreover, SAA is dedicated to preserving the integrity of Stowe as a world-class destination. To achieve this, SAA formed a Destination Leadership Task Force to create a three year destination marketing plan that continues to tell authentic, honest stories and create flexible, targeted promotions that address visitor pressures — dispersing visitation and economic impacts — by focusing on visitor passions and market research and trends.
About Stowe Area Association
Established in 1945, Stowe Area Association is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit member-based destination leadership organization with the primary purpose to promote the Stowe region as a vibrant, world-class destination. Our mission is to market and sell the natural beauty of Stowe, its cultural and recreational opportunities and member businesses while simultaneously enhancing the quality experience for guests and the quality of life of Stowe residents in a manner which improves the economic well-being of the community and consciously promotes environmental integrity. Known outwardly as Go Stowe, SAA operates the Stowe Visitor Information Center, located in the heart of Stowe’s historic Village, as well as central reservations for Stowe-area lodging properties, and provides resources for planning a trip to Stowe, Vermont. Visit gostowe.com for more information.
Source: Stowe, VT (November 6, 2023) — Stowe Area Association gostowe.com