Over the past year, the St. Lawrence County tourism team has begun work on several major projects to strengthen the county’s long-term competitiveness as a destination while ensuring tourism continues to generate positive benefits for local businesses, communities, attractions, and residents.

These recent efforts are part of a broader three-year destination development initiative developed by the county’s tourism team and funded by a New York Power Authority grant, which recognizes tourism’s importance as an economic driver. The new initiative is rooted in a resident-first philosophy with a vision to establish the county as a competitive North Country destination.

At the center of those efforts is the pursuit to create a unified county-wide destination stewardship plan in partnership with nationally recognized destination marketing and management expert and Catskills native Josiah Brown.

Brown, often referred to in the industry as “New York Sherpa,” serves as President and CEO of Famous Destination Marketing, a firm that works with communities across the United States on economic development, tourism strategy, placemaking, and community revitalization initiatives. Throughout his career, Brown has partnered with destinations, municipalities, and organizations seeking to balance economic growth with quality of life, helping communities identify their strengths and develop strategies for sustainable success. Having completed a growing number of projects in New York State, Brown’s work in St. Lawrence County reflects a growing movement within the tourism industry that focuses not simply on attracting visitors, but on managing and enhancing destinations in more holistic ways.

Unlike traditional tourism planning, destination stewardship looks beyond marketing campaigns and visitor numbers. It examines how tourism interacts with local communities, infrastructure, businesses, cultural assets, recreation opportunities, and natural resources while identifying opportunities to strengthen the visitor experience and improve the destination as a whole. The process is currently underway and has included on-site visits, stakeholder interviews, industry and regional discussions, and community engagement efforts designed to better understand both the opportunities and challenges facing tourism.

“Our goal is not simply to attract more visitors, but to become a destination that is more competitive, more resilient, and more appealing for everyone,” Amo said. “Visitors don’t care where one municipality ends and another begins. They remember the experiences they had, the people they met, and how a place made them feel. Our unique communities have to remember that we are all collectively part of that same visitor experience in the North Country.” Amo said the development of the stewardship plan will create a roadmap that will guide tourism development efforts for years to come while identifying priorities that can strengthen the county’s position within an increasingly competitive travel marketplace. At the same time, the team recently launched a Digital Maturity Accelerator (DMA) program designed to help individual business owners and tourism organizations evaluate their digital presence to identify opportunities to improve how visitors discover, research, and engage with destinations online.      

The DMA allows operators to examine areas such as website performance, digital accessibility, content strategy, visitor information delivery, and overall digital effectiveness. Operators receive recommendations and mentorship to improve the visitor experience while ensuring tourism organizations remain responsive to changing traveler behavior.

“Travelers today are making decisions differently than they did even five years ago,” Amo said. “People are researching destinations online, comparing experiences, and building entire itineraries from their phones. We need to make sure St. Lawrence County remains visible, accessible, and competitive in that environment.”

Together, the projects that comprise the new initiative represent a broader shift in how tourism is being approached locally.

Rather than focusing exclusively on attracting visitors through advertising and promotion, Amo wants to increasingly invest in destination development and the behind-the-scenes work that helps communities improve amenities, strengthen infrastructure, and enhance the places visitors come to explore and that residents call home. Amo says the heart of that strategy is collaboration.

Celebrating Tourism Success
Recognizing Those Who Help Put STLC On the Map

The collaborative spirit of the ongoing destination development initiative was highlighted during the County Chamber’s annual Tourism Dinner, held June 11 at the Ogdensburg International Airport.

^{2026 Tourism Excellence Award Winners: Best to the Guest Award: Applewood Orchards of Rensselaer Falls; Andrew and Alicia Brice, Sheila and Sean Conklin, and Best Destination Marketing Award: Basswood Lodge of Rensselaer Falls; Mandi, Cyera and Brielle McNamara}

The event brought together tourism businesses, elected officials, community leaders, attractions, nonprofit organizations, and destination partners from throughout the county under the theme, Destination Development: Rooted in Collaborative Competition.

The theme reflected the evening’s central message: while destinations compete against countless other regions for visitors, investment, and attention, success depends on local collaboration.

Presentations throughout the evening focused on tourism development and collaboration, arts and culture initiatives, trails and outdoor recreation, and America 250 programming.

Featured speakers included Josiah Brown, President and CEO of Famous Destination Marketing, who provided an update on the Destination Stewardship Plan; Deb Christy, Trails Coordinator for St. Lawrence County, who shared updates on trail development and outdoor recreation initiatives; Erica Kelso, Executive Director of SLC Arts, who discussed the role of arts and culture in destination development; and Nancy LaFaver, St. Lawrence County Historian, who highlighted local efforts surrounding the America 250 commemoration and upcoming countywide programming connected to the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The evening also recognized outstanding tourism businesses through the annual Tourism Excellence Awards.

This year’s Best Destination Marketing Award was presented to Basswood Lodge in Rensselaer Falls for its longstanding efforts promoting St. Lawrence County to outdoor enthusiasts across North America.

The Best to the Guest Award was presented to Applewood Orchards in Rensselaer Falls for its commitment to creating exceptional visitor experiences and memorable family traditions.

For many attendees, the evening provided an opportunity to see how individual projects, organizations, and initiatives fit into a larger vision for the future of tourism in St. Lawrence County.

New Visitor Merchandise Celebrates the Landscapes of St. Lawrence County

^{New exclusive artwork designed by Catherine LaPointe-Vollmer of Lionheart Graphics in partnership with the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Tourism Office}

To highlight yet another aspect of the destination development initiative, the tourism dinner also served as the unveiling of a brand new collection of visitor merchandise inspired by the places and landscapes that make St. Lawrence County unique.

Created exclusively for Visit St. Lawrence County by Lionheart Graphics and designer Catherine LaPointe-Vollmer, the collection features original artwork representing the three defining regions of the county: the St. Lawrence Seaway, the River Valley, and the Adirondack Foothills. Each design highlights the natural beauty and small-town character that defines the North Country.

Together, the collection tells a story of the county and the diverse landscapes throughout the region.

The artwork will be available on posters, postcards, magnets, stickers, and other merchandise, creating a collection that visitors and residents alike can enjoy.

“We wanted this art series to celebrate the distinct places that come together to create St. Lawrence County,” said Kathryn Puleo, Destination Manager for Visit St. Lawrence County.  “Catherine did an incredible job capturing the feel of each region while creating artwork that people will be proud to display in their homes, offices, camps, and businesses. These pieces tell a story about who we are and what makes this destination special.” The merchandise collection went on sale Monday, June 15, at the St. Lawrence County Visitor Center, 101 Main Street in Canton.