Western New York Tourism Expected to Rise

Summer convention and conference bookings at the Buffalo Convention Center attract many tourists to Western New York.

Erie County officials said Wednesday the American Cheese Society’s annual conference will draw 1,300 out-of-town tourists to Buffalo. A week later, another 1,000 tourists are expected to descend on the Buffalo Convention Center for the North American Science Fiction Convention.

In August, the 2024 edition of the Oddities and Curiosities Expo will kick off. The event is expected to attract 10,000 people.

In total, the expected economic impact of all conventions booked this year amounts to more than $7 million.

Twenty-two conventions are planned for the Buffalo Convention Center in 2025 and 2026. These are expected to bring in an additional $30 million, a major boost to the Queen City’s economy.

“That’s $30 million just over the next year and a half,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. “That’s additional money that we wouldn’t have had. These are people who come here and stay in hotels (and) eat out. So they’re paying sales taxes. They’re paying hotel taxes. They’re investing in our local community by shopping at local stores.”