Mar 26, 2026
During last week's Wednesday webinar, Kelly Fitzpatrick from Zartico brought together panelists, Brian Hayden from Visit Buffalo, Erin Rafalowski from Visit Ithaca, and Hilary Fenner from Tour Cayuga to discuss how they promoted their local craft food and beverage to enhanced visitor experience and driven visitation to their destination.
Through real case studies, this webinar explores how DMOs can leverage their local craft food and beverage to drive visitation and enhance visitor experiences in their region.
People Travel for Food and Beverage
- In 2025, visitors accounted for 24% of restaurant spend in New York and that's 35% if you're excluding NYC.
- $42.30 was the average visitor restaurant transaction while the resident's average was $38.36.
- 35% of visitor spend goes to restaurants and other food and beverage.
Visit Buffalo: The Ultimate Buffalo Food Trail
- Buffalo focused on elevating lesser-known regional specialties such as sponge candy, peanut sticks, and pastry hearts, beyond just their famous wings.
- They launched an interactive digital map on their website featuring three routes through Erie County that include 28 restaurants.
- The initiative proved successful, becoming a top 20 most-visited page with over 10,000 views and a 35% higher average page view time than other site content.
Tour Cayuga: Cayuga Cuisine
- Following data that indicated food and beverage was a primary driver for visitation, Tour Cayuga, launched "Cayuga Cuisine," a campaign where videos were created that highlighted individual food and beverage businesses throughout their county.
- The content focused on authentic storytelling, highlighting the personal histories and cultural connections behind local restaurant owners rather than just the food.
- The campaign helped residents feel a sense of pride in supporting their local "hidden gems" while providing visitors with an authentic connection to the community.
Visit Ithaca: Cider Marketing
- Ithaca focused on long-term brand building around cider, positioning it as a premium, wine-like experience rather than a seasonal beer alternative.
- The DMO actively integrated cider into all marketing channels, including media pitches, travel guides, influencer visits, and event sponsorships.
- By working closely with the New York Cider Association and educating their own visitor center staff, they helped transform cider from a fall-specific product into a year-round driver of business.
Key Takeaways for DMOs
The panelists offered several recommendations for DMOs looking to develop similar programs:
- Use Data to Strategize: With limited budgets and staff, rely on visitor data to identify where to allocate resources.
- Tell Human Stories: Authentic, owner-led content often resonates more with visitors than polished, generic stock photography.
- Leverage All Channels: Weave culinary narratives into every available channel, including websites, PR efforts, blogs, and influencer partnerships.
- Deepen Partnerships: Build relationships with local producers, host media/creators, and ensure the entire team is educated to effectively promote the destination’s unique offerings.
Thank you again to Kelly Fitzpatrick, Brian Hayden, Hilary Fenner, and Erin Rafalowski for presenting, as well as everyone who attended! You can access the slide deck here.
About the NYSTIA Wednesday Webinar Series:
Back by popular demand, NYSTIA is once again hosting a free, weekly virtual workshop series in an informal, "coffee and conversation format. All are welcome to join and send invitations to your friends and colleagues! Each webinar is recorded and archived for post-event access.
Find the Wednesday Webinar January 2026 Series Recaps here!