“New York’s parks and outdoor spaces are among the best in
the nation, and these latest numbers are proof that more and more people
are taking notice,” Governor Cuomo said. “When people visit
New York’s parks, they support tourism and economic activity in
communities across the State. I am very excited to see another successful
year for the State Parks system, and I encourage everyone to plan a trip
of their own in 2015.”
State Parks’ 2014 attendance was up 1.9 million visitors from the
60.1 million visitors hosted in 2013, and up 4.5 million visitors since
2010, the year before the Governor took office, when 88 parks were threatened
with closure. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds operated by
State Parks was the highest on record. State Park campsites were occupied
for 594,441 nights in 2014, up 2 percent from 2013’s record of 583,015
overnight stays.
The Governor has made improving access to parks and outdoor recreation
a focal point of his administration, including:
- Implementing a statewide revitalization of the park system at the outset of his tenure. Last year, new facilities opened and revitalization projects were completed at parks across the state, including East River, Saratoga Springs and Seneca Lake State Parks; and Staatsburgh State Historic Site. The Governor’s 2015 Opportunity Agenda continues his bold vision for New York State Parks. The NY Parks 2020 plan will leverage a broad range of public and private funding for a total investment of approximately $900 million in State Parks through 2020.
- Launched New York’s largest tourism campaign in decades, committing nearly $60 million in 2014 to grow the industry, create jobs and attract even more visitors to the Empire State. I Love New York tourism promotion campaigns prominently featured destinations such as Niagara Falls State Park, Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Olana State Historic Site.
- Spearheaded a swift recovery to Superstorm Sandy, including parks and parkways. Long Island State Parks fully rebounded from Superstorm Sandy, with popular coastal parks such as Jones Beach and Robert Moses State Parks repaired and open for the full year.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by more than 60 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.