Greenfield Recorder – Director of the Office of Travel and Tourism visits Franklin County, seeks to increase presence

Looking to increase her department’s presence across the state, the executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism recently visited some of Franklin County’s tourist destinations.

Kate Fox was taken on a whirlwind tour of the county on Friday, meeting business owners and making connections alongside Anne Gobi, a former state senator from Spencer who now works as governor Maura Healey’s director of rural affairs. The tour was facilitated by Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, which operates the Franklin County Regional Tourism Council.

During the Economic Development Board breakfast at Greenfield Community College that morning, Fox explained that her agency is working to increase its presence across the state, mentioning that someone recently introduced her as director of the “state Department of Whozeewhat.”

“And I thought, ‘There’s work to be done here,’” she said, laughing.

The Office of Travel and Tourism promotes Massachusetts as a year-round leisure and business travel destination. It reports to the state’s Executive Office of Economic Development and works directly with Massachusetts’ 16 regional tourism boards.

“Tourism is a great economic driver. A lot of people consider it the third-largest industry in the state,” Fox said. “Because it’s not coded as an industry, it’s hard to demonstrate that, because there are so many — it’s hotels, it’s accommodations, it’s restaurants, it’s activities, it’s attractions, it’s outdoor activities. open air. [recreation]. It’s all these things combined. But we are a force to be reckoned with.”

Fox then embarked on his tour of Franklin County businesses, starting with Apex Orchards, jointly owned by Tim Smith and Courtney Basil. The caravan – which included Linda Dunlavy, executive director of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, and Sarah Burrell, marketing manager for the Chamber of Commerce – talked about educating and accommodating agricultural tourists and how climate change is affecting the season. Basil said the night between April 25 and 26 was intensely cold which negatively affected some crops in the region.

“Tim and I are just hoping, by the grace of God, that we don’t get too much damage. We are very lucky here as the sections where we put our orchards have good air drainage, which means the cold air won’t settle as much, and this is entirely thanks to Tim and his very talented growing methods,” Basil said. “We are hopeful that we sustained minimal damage.”

Fox and the others also stopped at Yankee Candle Village, Historic Deerfield and a few other locations before finishing the day by visiting some of the Finicky Farm goats at The Brewery at Four Star Farms in Northfield.

“It was a really good opportunity,” Fox said in an interview Tuesday, reflecting on the tour. “I love Franklin County and it is filled with so many things to do: outdoor recreation opportunities and historic and cultural sites.”

Contact Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.