TOURISM: State Parks promotion helps wine trail

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September 17, 2007

Change in policy brings more visitors inland

By Jill Terreri/terrerij@gnnewspaper.com The Journal-Register Mon Sep 17, 2007, 05:39 PM EDT

A change in attitude at the State Parks has contributed to a 50 percent increase in sales for members of the Niagara Wine Trail.

A new administration in the governor’s office has brought a new willingness to allow the wine trail to be promoted in Niagara Falls State Park.

Brochures were handed out to visitors to Niagara Falls who paid to park beginning on July 6.

The next day, sales at the wineries grew by 50 percent over last year at the same time, said Michael VonHeckler, chairman of the Niagara USA Wine Regional Branding Committee.

The brochures ran out in August, and the wineries immediately saw a drop in visitors, VonHeckler said.

VonHeckler, who also owns and operates Warm Lake Estate in Cambria, had approached the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in years past but was never given approval to place literature promoting the wine trail in the parks.

That changed this year, when a new administration took over.

“We’ve been trying for years,” he said.

An increase in visitors to the state park this summer over last summer could have given the brochures even greater impact, said Angela Berti, regional spokesperson for state parks.

The decision to promote the trail was an easy one.

“We recognize it’s an asset to any visitor to Niagara Falls,” Berti said.

Members of the wine trail paid $20,000 to print the brochures.

The trail has grown from two wineries in 2002 to 12 wineries today, with 12 more in planning or development.

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