Newsletter

Fragmented DMOs, limited capacity, and a focus on international visitors are leaving the domestic drive market behind. To show the gap, Rural Tourism Network surveyed 176 New York City-area residents about their awareness of Upstate New York and its tourism offerings.

Rural Tourism Network surveyed 68 Destination Marketing Organizations in rural communities across 16 states. Despite strong visitor growth (79% report stable or growing visitation), these organizations often lack the resources to demonstrate impact and capitalize on demand.

For Katie Grove, a wild basketry artist who’s made Stone Ridge her home for fifteen years, this landscape is her studio, her material supplier, her teacher. Plus where to stay, eat and explore in the Rondout Valley.

A natural dye textile artist in Beacon who forages local plants to create one-of-a-kind quilts and wall hangings, plus a day-trip itinerary for Beacon and Cold Spring, 90 minutes from New York City.

The government shutdown is already sending shockwaves through America’s travel economy, with Tourism Economics estimating $1 billion in losses every week it continues. For rural communities, where public lands are often the backbone of the local economy, the consequences are immediate.

At RTN, we see exciting opportunities for AI in tourism, but we also know rural communities are being disproportionately impacted by the AI boom.

Discover how themed trails and passport programs are driving growth in rural tourism. From food and history to agritourism and outdoor adventure, these models encourage longer stays, cross-county exploration, and stronger ties between visitors and local businesses.

Rural destinations offer some of the most culturally rich and environmentally sustainable travel experiences available in the U.S., yet rural tourism is still under-measured, under-supported and under-estimated.

Travelers are rediscovering rural America—and the data shows they’re not done yet. The opportunity now is to harness this momentum while building sustainable, community-centered tourism.

Rural tourism, at its core, is travel beyond urban centers into the backroads, small towns, and working landscapes that make up most U.S. counties. Its activities stretch from hikes and paddles to farm dinners, music festivals, and craft studios, all rooted in communities that highlight their own heritage and environment.