The best way to bring visitors back to upstate New York is through their stomachs.
That is the thinking behind a new initiative to bolster tourism, ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, in western and central New York, the Finger Lakes region and the Southern Tier.
The Upstate Eats Food Trail, a 225-mile “gastronomical road trip,” stretches from Buffalo to Rochester to Syracuse and Binghamton, exposing travelers to unique local cuisine and attractions.
The concept grew from talks that began 11 months ago among officials from four tourism organizations — Visit Buffalo Niagara, Visit Rochester, Visit Syracuse and Visit Binghamton.
Even back then, “well before any vaccines were on the horizon,” it was clear that some sort of campaign would be needed to help address the devastating effects of the pandemic on the hospitality industry, Ed Healy, vice president of Visit Buffalo Niagara, said at a Wednesday morning press conference held via Zoom.