Sullivan County has received a statewide tourism award recognizing its efforts to reinvest revenue from overnight visitors into local communities.
The New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) presented the 2026 New York State Tourism Excellence Award in the Transformational Tourism Stewardship: Tourism Advocacy category for Sullivan County’s Tourism Grant Program.
Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association (SCVA) President and CEO Michael Martelon presented the award to Sullivan County Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz during Thursday’s Economic Development Committee meeting in Monticello.
The county’s program directs lodging tax revenue, paid by overnight visitors, back into grants supporting local businesses, events and organizations that contribute to the region’s tourism economy.
County staff helped develop the program, which is administered by SCVA. Sullivan County is the only county in New York operating a grant program of this scale through its tourism promotion agency, according to the association.
Rajsz credited collaboration between the Legislature and SCVA for making the program possible.
“I am grateful to both my fellow legislators and the SCVA that we could collaborate to make this program a reality, and I’m thrilled NYSTIA recognized the impact we’re making together,” Rajsz said.
She said tourism is vital to the county’s economic health and that county officials and SCVA will continue working to expand support and opportunities for the industry.
Sullivan County Planning Commissioner Heather Brown also emphasized tourism’s longstanding role in the local economy, citing her family’s experience operating a business in Kauneonga Lake that welcomed thousands of visitors over several decades.
“Tourism is a bedrock industry in Sullivan County, and this has been true for almost all of our 200-year history,” Brown said.
Martelon said the grant program allows visitor spending to benefit the communities that help attract tourism to the region.
“Every dollar in this program starts with a visitor who chose to spend the night in Sullivan County,” Martelon said. “This award belongs here. We’re proud to steward the program and excited about where we take it next.”
The award comes as Sullivan County’s visitor economy has grown to more than $1 billion, according to SCVA.