Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | November 4, 2019 | wbjournal.com R E G I O N S N O R T H C O U N T Y New England country North County leverages its natural beauty to drive tourism BY LIVIA GERSHON Special to the Worcester Business Journal L ate this June, a hailstorm hit the Red Apple Farm in Phillipston. For an orchard dependent on pick-your-own customers, it was a setback. But Al Rose, the farm's owner, made the best of the situation. Working in collaboration with Moon Hill Brewing, the owner of the Gardner Ale House, the farm created Hail Storm hard cider. "at's our version of making lemonade out of lemons," Rose said. is collaboration between local businesses is just one example of the strong partnerships growing in the area, where tourism is a key industry. Since 1996, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce has been bringing tourism-centered businesses together to draw more visitors into their cities and towns and give them more things to do once they're there. Previously known as the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association, aer a rebranding last year, the initiative is now called Visit North Central Massachusetts. Rose is its chair. Roy Nascimento, president and CEO of the chamber, said in 2017, direct spending on tourist activities in the area totaled $144.8 million, and the industry employed 966 people. "We've been expanding our marketing and our public relations work, trying to sell our region as a destination," Nascimento said. "We've had a lot of success with growing the regional tourism economy." Some of that work involves behind- the-scenes efforts like public relations campaigns and ad buys. But a more visible aspect of branding appeared in July, when Visit North Central unveiled an eight-foot tall red apple statue, "e Big Apple of New England," at its Johnny Appleseed Visitors' Center on Route 2 in Lancaster. e statue, and the visitors' center Visit North Central Massachusetts Founded: 1996 Region: 27 communities, from Petersham to Bolton in the south, and across the New Hampshire border from Royalston to Pepperell Affiliation: Tourism arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Mission: To promote North Central Massachusetts as an area where visitors can take advantage of the character and hospitality of the region and foster regional economic development by raising awareness through collaborative efforts to assist venues with their marketing to send collective message for the region. North County: At a glance Largest employer Heywood Healthcare, Gardner 1,500 local employees Largest chamber of commerce North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce 750 members Biggest bank Fidelity Bank, Leominster $862,863,000 in deposits Biggest college Fitchburg State University 4,745 full-time students, fall 2018* Largest meeting venue Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, Princeton 3,000 outdoor; 600 indoor guests in banquet style Median age 43.7 Sources: Worcester Business Journal surveys of area businesses, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) as of June 30, 2019, Mass. Department of Revenue, U.S. Census Bureau 2013-2017 American Community Survey * 2019 figures not available yet (Clockwise from upper left) Kayakers enjoy the Nashua River, visitors at the Appleseed Country Fair in Philipston, and the Visit North Central Massachusetts' center with its Big Apple. PHOTOS/VISIT NORTH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS

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