Businesses in the Lake George area may be heading into their busiest months of 2020. Almost 62 percent of nearly 6,000 customers responded, in a recent online survey, planning to visit in August or the fall. The survey results came in as the region continues to experience an unexpectedly strong July.

The online survey was conducted by Warren County Tourism, Mannix Marketing, and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau (LGRCC&CVB) offering participants prizes in order to collect information on tourism in the area.

The use of beaches and non-motorized water activities rated most important by nearly 6,000 surveyed. Another important find showed 62 percent of visitors say they plan to stay overnight while 24 percent said they sometimes stay overnight and sometimes come for just the day. This means 86 percent of respondents stay or sometimes stay overnight, showing strong continued interest in booking lodging, helping boost the local economy. Only 8 percent of surveyors do not plan to travel due to COVID-19 concerns.

The communities of those most interested in staying overnight,according to the survey results, are Westchester, Orange and Dutchess Counties areas. Respondents from Massachusetts and areas of Long Island and Central New York also showed strong interest in staying overnight.

Nearly 200 businesses, organizations and municipalities have taken the Lake George Region-Southern Adirondacks Health and Safety Pledge to adhere to health and rigorous sanitation protocols, in order to instill that the area is a safe and healthy place to visit. Safety signage reminds visitors to stay six feet apart and wear facial covering has been placed in every municipality in Warren County.

Dozens of people recreate on “Dog Beach,” a strip of state land adjacent to the state’s “Million Dollar Beach” recently in Lake George. Photo by Gwendolyn Craig