What ROOST published
The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism released its 2025 annual leisure travel study on 15 September 2026. ROOST covers Lake Placid, Essex County, Hamilton County, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake in New York.
The survey counts non-business travel to Essex and Hamilton counties and to the adjacent communities. ROOST ran it with PlaceMaking, a regional research firm, and drew nearly 21,000 responses.
The stay ran longer
Average length of stay reached 4.3 nights. The 2024 average was 4.1 nights, and the five-year average is 3.8 nights.
Average trip expenditure rose 8 percent to 1,914 dollars a party. The rise of 145 dollars matches the 2023 and 2024 reports of 1,768 dollars and 1,769 dollars. The study attributes the increase to the longer stay.
Meal spending moved first
Meal spending rose 28 percent, from 303 dollars a party in 2024 to 390 dollars. The release calls restaurant and meal spending the primary area of increased expenditure.
Sell the daytime window against that line. A party that eats here and drives home the same evening still spends at the counter, and it holds no room overnight.
Two seasons carry the demand
July and August held 25 percent of respondents, September and October 22 percent, and May and June 22 percent. Early summer reached a new high, and June carried the strongest numbers in that window.
Mary Jane Lawrence, ROOST's chief operating officer, said late spring and late fall bring less visitation to local properties, restaurants, attractions and services. She said ROOST has focused on that window.
The drive market fills a daytime book
69 percent of respondents live in New York state. The capital district and northern New York supplied 33 percent of the state total, central New York 21 percent, western New York 11 percent and downstate, New York metro and Long Island 10 percent. Seven percent came from outside the Northeast or Canada. Quebec supplied 3 percent and Ontario 2 percent, each down one point on 2024.
A customer a short drive away can take a morning slot and leave before the evening turn.
Hotels hold 40 percent of the lodging choice
Hotels and motels remained the most reported lodging choice at 40 percent. Short-term rentals rose to 19 percent and took second place.
Hamilton County published its own split. Camping and RV stays took 30 percent there, hotels and motels 20 percent, second homes 18 percent and short-term rentals 14 percent. Hamilton County parties averaged 5.0 nights.
Campers, second-home owners and holiday-rental guests need a shower, a desk and a rest stop on the drive. Sell those three by the hour, and the 4.3-night hotel stay stays with the guest who wants a bed.
County detail
Essex County parties spent 476 dollars a day on average, and trip expenditure rose 6 percent to 1,950 dollars. Early summer travel in the county rose from 15 percent to 22 percent, and interest in Olympic sites reached 23 percent ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Hamilton County parties spent 309 dollars a day. Trip expenditure rose 7 percent to a record 1,547 dollars.
Satisfaction and the outdoor draw
97.8 percent of respondents said they would recommend a visit, and just under 99 percent said they would like to return. 96 percent said the trip met their budget expectations.
Outdoor activities drew 65 percent of respondents as the primary reason for the visit. Day hiking interested 70 percent, leisure and firm-surface hiking 45 percent, up from 33 percent in 2024, and family hikes 25 percent.
Hikers arrive early and leave late. A midday room covers the hours between a morning trail and an evening drive.
What to confirm before you price
The release publishes no regional ADR and no occupancy figure, so keep the rate line on your own data. ROOST has posted the 2021 and 2024 studies in full on roostadk.com. Request the 2025 tables before you set a daytime rate against these season shares.