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FINGER LAKES ASSOCIATION INC dba FINGER LAKES TOURISM ALLIANCE
PENN YAN, NY · EIN 160757972 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M)
revenue
$531K
expenses
$652K
net assets
$-102K
employees
3
program ratio
81%
mission · from form 990

LEAD TOURISM ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH EXEMPLARY PROMOTION OF THE FINGER LAKES REGION AS A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Finger Lakes Association Inc, operating as Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, promotes tourism in New York's Finger Lakes region to drive economic growth. The organization leads marketing campaigns and digital outreach to position the area as a world-class destination. It produces travel guides, runs a comprehensive website, and executes multi-channel advertising efforts targeting regional, national, and international audiences.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    DIGITAL MEDIA - ARCHER COMMUNICATIONS MARKETED THE REGION WITH VARIOUS MEDIA TACTICS WITH IMPRESSIONS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO CAMPAIGN ADS AND A NEW WEBSITE WAS LAUNCHED UNDER THE BRAND EXPLORE FINGER LAKES. THE NEW WEBSITE MAINTAINED ITS STANCE AS THE PREMIER SOURCE FOR FINGER LAKES TRAVEL INFORMATION. IN 2024 THERE WERE 1,027,510 PAGE VIEWS AND 427,659 UNIQUE VISITORS TO THE SITE. TOTAL IMPRESSIONS WERE 1.03 MILLION.
  2. #2 $0
    MARKETING CAMPAIGN - MARKETING EFFORTS WERE FOCUSED IN-REGION, STATE-WIDE, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY THROUGHOUT 2024 WITH A FULL COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING PLAN PROMOTING THE REGION THROUGH ALL FOUR SEASONS.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Digital Media Campaign
Executed by Archer Communications and Adworkshops, this program includes targeted digital advertising, social media marketing, and search engine optimization to promote the Finger Lakes region, with a relaunched website as the central hub for travel information.
Marketing Campaign
Comprehensive marketing plan promoting the Finger Lakes region across all four seasons, using traditional and streaming radio, digital banners, social media ads, and search engine marketing, scaled regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Publications
Production and distribution of 125,000 Finger Lakes travel guides and 75,000 map and mini guides to support visitor planning and regional promotion.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Regional Tourism Promotion 2 activities
    • Advocate for sustainable tourism
      Promotes sustainable tourism practices to preserve the natural and cultural integrity of the Finger Lakes region as an unspoiled travel destination.
    • Promote diverse tourism experiences
      Markets and promotes a wide range of tourism experiences in the Finger Lakes region, including outdoor recreation, heritage tourism, cultural and culinary attractions, farm-to-table dining, and lodging options, tailored to visitor interests from relaxation to adventure.
  • Visitor Information and Trip Planning Services 2 activities
    • Operate and promote regional tourism website
      Operates and maintains the Explore Finger Lakes website and fingerlakes.org, providing travel information and generating hundreds of thousands of visits and millions of page views annually (e.g., 1.03M page views in 2024, 1.58M in 2023).
    • Provide digital trip planning tools
      Offers digital tools including an 'Add to Trip' feature, interactive map with turn-by-turn directions, and a mobile app that enables users to discover destinations, save events, and create and share custom travel itineraries.
  • Visitor & Business Guide Distribution 1 activity
    • Distribute printed travel guides and maps
      Produces and distributes multiple printed publications including the Explore Finger Lakes travel guide, regional maps, and specialized guides on fishing, winter activities, and outdoor adventures, with 125,000 travel guides and 75,000 mini guides produced in one reported year.
  • Craft Beverage Tourism Trails 1 activity
    • Promote wine trails and wineries
      Operates and promotes four distinct wine trails around Canandaigua, Cayuga, Keuka, and Seneca Lakes, and supports a network of over 140 wineries in the Finger Lakes region.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$531K
Contributions & grants$161K30%
Program service revenue$354K67%
Investment income$1260%
Other revenue$16K
expenses
Total expenses$652K
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$213K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$369K
Cash$43K
Investments$0
Liabilities$470K
Net assets$-102K
Liquid reserves0.8 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +10.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 18
  • BONNIE HAYS — Director
  • BRITTANY GIBSON — AT LARGE REP
  • COLEEN FABRIZI — vice chair
  • DANIELLE NEUSER — CHAIRPERSON
  • DON BENNETT — Director
  • ERIN RAFALOWSKI — Director
  • GREG LADUCA — Director
  • JESS MAY HOFFMAN — Director
  • JIM CECERE — AT LARGE REP
  • JIM MEAD — Director
  • JOE GOBER — Director
  • JON SPAULDING — Director
  • MATT HUFNAGEL — ASSIST. TREAS
  • MEGHAN FULLER — Secretary
  • MEGHAN NULTY — President
  • NATALIE TRAVIS — Director
  • STEPHANIE DEVITO — Director
  • SUE POELVOORDE — Treasurer
relationships · 22

Who they work with

  • AdWorkshops Partner — Digital media partner that marketed the region using various media tactics and supported the website re-launch.
  • Apple App Store Partner — Distributes the Visit the Finger Lakes, NY! app through the Apple App Store.
  • Archer Communications Partner — Digital media partner responsible for marketing the Finger Lakes region through various media tactics and campaign ads.
  • Cayuga Lake Vacation Rentals Partner — Lodging partner featured in promotional content for vacation rentals.
  • Discover Seneca Partner — Co-publishes blog content highlighting Seneca County’s historical and outdoor attractions.
  • Discover Seneca Partner — Collaborates on content related to Seneca County destinations and events.
  • Discover Seneca AKA Seneca County Chamber of Commerce Partner — Partner organization promoting tourism and dining in Seneca County.
  • Experience Cortland Partner — Partner organization supporting tourism and local experiences in Cortland County.
  • Explore Finger Lakes Partner — Collaborates on content related to Finger Lakes region-wide destinations and events.
  • Explore Finger Lakes Partner — Collaborates with Explore Finger Lakes to provide partner pages with destination information.
  • Explore Steuben Partner — Co-publishes blog content highlighting Steuben County’s cultural and historic offerings.
  • Explore Steuben Partner — Collaborates on content related to Steuben County destinations and events.
  • Explore Steuben Partner — Partner organization promoting tourism and local attractions in Steuben County.
  • Fairport Perinton Merchants Association Partner — Partner organization supporting local businesses and tourism in the Fairport area.
  • Finger Lakes Countrysides AKA Yates County Chamber of Commerce Partner — Partner organization advancing tourism and community engagement in Yates County.
  • Google Government — Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply to the website's use of reCAPTCHA.
  • Google Play Store Partner — Distributes the Visit the Finger Lakes, NY! app through the Google Play Store.
  • Inn at Gothic Eves Partner — Lodging partner featured in promotional content for bed and breakfasts.
  • Lake House on Canandaigua Partner — Lodging partner featured in promotional content for resorts and spas.
  • New York State Government — References New York State in promoting the regional craft beverage economy.
  • Tioga Downs Hotel Partner — Lodging partner featured in promotional content for hotels and motels.
  • Women's Rights National Historical Park Partner — Highlighted as a key historic site within the Finger Lakes tourism network.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Beverage-Tourism Development
    methodology: beverage-tourism development
    By positioning local beverage producers as a unified cultural and economic asset, the organization drives tourism because themed trails and shared identity create destination-specific experiences that attract visitors.
  • Curated Digital Engagement for Trip Planning
    methodology: digital trip planning
    By offering digital tools that enable personalized, interactive itinerary creation, the organization increases tourist engagement because user-driven planning fosters deeper connection and longer visit duration.
  • Farm-to-Table Culinary Promotion
    methodology: farm-to-table
    By highlighting farm-to-table dining experiences, the organization strengthens regional tourism because locally sourced cuisine supports economic sustainability and offers authentic, place-based attractions.
  • Integrated Tourism Promotion
    methodology: integrated-tourism-promotion
    By combining natural beauty and cultural offerings in regional marketing, the organization attracts a broader range of tourists because diverse attractions increase perceived value and appeal across different visitor segments.
  • Sustainable Tourism Development
    methodology: sustainable-tourism
    By promoting tourism practices that prioritize environmental preservation, the organization supports long-term regional visitation because sustainable models protect the natural assets that attract tourists in the first place.