Visit Rochester

Visit Rochester
Name	Visit Rochester
Type	Convention and visitors bureau
Founded	1920s
Location	Rochester, New York, United States
Region served	Greater Rochester
Slogan	"Discover Rochester"

Visit Rochester

Visit Rochester is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Rochester, New York, promoting tourism, conventions, heritage, and cultural attractions in Monroe County and the Finger Lakes region. It coordinates with municipal bodies, arts institutions, higher education campuses, and hospitality providers to attract visitors for leisure travel, meetings, sports tourism, and cultural events. The organization liaises with regional partners, airports, and transportation agencies to develop packages and itineraries highlighting Rochester’s industrial heritage, immigrant communities, and natural attractions.

Overview

Visit Rochester operates as a convention and visitors bureau linking the City of Rochester, Monroe County, the State of New York tourism initiatives, and regional entities such as the Finger Lakes Wine Country Association, the Genesee River watershed partnerships, and the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation. It markets assets including the Rochester International Airport, the Greater Rochester International Airport Authority, the Blue Cross Arena, and the Strong National Museum of Play while collaborating with universities like the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and SUNY Geneseo to promote conferences and academic tourism. Its programs target travelers interested in attractions such as the George Eastman Museum, High Falls, and the Erie Canal, and events like the Rochester International Jazz Festival and the Rochester Fringe Festival.

History

The organization traces roots to early 20th-century chambers of commerce and civic booster clubs that promoted manufacturing centers like Eastman Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, and the Spencerport ship canal efforts. Over decades it evolved alongside redevelopment projects including the Midtown Plaza transformations, the renaissance associated with the Strong Museum expansions, and waterfront revitalization around the Genesee River and Lake Ontario shoreline. Visit Rochester’s development intersected with federal and state initiatives such as the National Endowment for the Arts funding for cultural institutions, Preservation League of New York State advocacy, and Empire State Development tourism grants. It has navigated shifts tied to the decline of Rochester-based corporate giants and the rise of knowledge-sector anchors like the Perinton research corridors and local incubators.

Attractions and Cultural Institutions

Rochester’s portfolio promoted by Visit Rochester includes museums and historic sites: the George Eastman Museum, the Strong National Museum of Play, the Memorial Art Gallery, the Rochester Museum & Science Center, and the Susan B. Anthony House. Performing arts venues featured in marketing campaigns include Geva Theatre Center, Rochester Broadway Theatre League presentations at the Auditorium Theatre, and shows at the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Outdoor and heritage sites emphasized include High Falls, Seabreeze Amusement Park, Seneca Park Zoo, Ontario Beach Park, the Erie Canal Heritage Trail, and the Lamberton Conservatory. Partnerships extend to cultural organizations like the Hochstein School of Music & Dance, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rochester Contemporary Art Center, and historical societies preserving the Frederick Douglass sites and the Genesee Country Village & Museum.

Events and Festivals

Visit Rochester promotes annual events that draw regional and international visitors: the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Rochester Fringe Festival, the Lilac Festival in Highland Park, the Corn Hill Arts Festival, and Roc Holiday Village markets. It supports sports tourism events at Frontier Field and the ESL Sports Centre, collegiate tournaments tied to the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology, and specialty gatherings such as the Rochester Auto Show, the Pride Festival, and the Lights on the Lake winter events. Collaborative events include culinary showcases with the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, beer festivals connected to local breweries like Rohrbach Brewing Company, and cultural commemorations with organizations such as the Susan B. Anthony Museum and National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House.

Economy and Tourism Industry

The bureau’s strategies align with regional economic development led by Rochester Regional Economic Development Council, Monroe County Executive offices, and the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce to leverage hospitality-sector employment at hotels, restaurants, and conference centers. Visit Rochester coordinates with hotel brands including Hyatt Regency Rochester, the Strathallan Rochester Hotel & Spa, and boutique properties near Park Avenue, and supports convention business for venues like the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Initiatives intersect with workforce development programs at Monroe Community College and hospitality curricula at local institutions, and with regional marketing by New York State Division of Tourism and Brand USA connections to international travel markets.

Transportation and Accessibility

Access promoted by Visit Rochester emphasizes air service at Greater Rochester International Airport with connections to hubs served by carriers such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines; rail connections via Amtrak’s Empire Service at Rochester station; and intercity bus links like Greyhound and Trailways. Local mobility partnerships include the Regional Transit Service (RTS), Rochester Subway heritage tours, and ride-share services operating in coordination with municipal parking authorities. The bureau highlights highway accessibility via Interstate 390, Interstate 490, and the New York State Thruway corridors, as well as bicycle and pedestrian networks along the Erie Canalway Trail and Genesee Valley Greenway.

Visitor Services and Accommodations

Visit Rochester works with accommodation providers, local tour operators, destination management companies, and meeting planners to offer visitor centers, concierge services, packaged itineraries, and convention services. It liaises with hospitality associations, the Rochester Hotel Association, and business improvement districts to certify lodging options ranging from full-service conference hotels to bed-and-breakfasts and short-term vacation rentals near Eastman Campus, Park Avenue, and the Corn Hill neighborhood. Services extend to accessible tourism planning with disability advocacy groups, pet-friendly lodging initiatives, and partnerships with culinary institutions like Highland Park vendors, local farms for agrotourism, and wineries in Ontario County and the Finger Lakes wine region.

Category:Organizations based in Rochester, New York