VITAL STATISTICS

Both sides now

Seacoast Ventures: How important is tourism to the region's economy?

FRANCESE: It is extremely important. Tourists spend a lot in restaurants, shops, hotels. They are quite important to the retailers in downtown Portsmouth. Finally, tourism is important as buyers of second homes. Keep in mind we are third in the nation in the percent of dwellings that are second homes, which is important to the real estate industry. Tourism is quite important to the fishing and boating industry as well.

SV: With the calculated Return On Investment, ($8.51 returned for every $1 spent on promotion in New Hampshire) must Maine or New Hampshire do more to market the states as the place to visit and vacation?

FRANCESE: I don't think they must do more. But could they do a bit more? Certainly. But at some level of spending there may be a point of diminishing return. The real question is what are they marketing? I think that whatever is spent should focus on the fascinating history and rich cultural life of New Hampshire.

SV: By one estimate, there were 33.4 million trips to New Hampshire in 2005, but the research cited says they were recreational and business trips. Are they one and the same when it comes to marketing all a state has to offer?

FRANCESE: If you are coming here for business, chances are you fly or drive in, conduct your business, and leave. I think most business trips are quite short and not focused on recreation. Recreational tourists on the other hand stay longer, and we hope they spend more.

SV: What are the drawbacks of a tourism-dependent economy?

FRANCESE: We should never become a totally tourism-dependent economy because it is so highly seasonal. Also, most, though not all, jobs in the tourism industry are low-paying. Most of those jobs won't pay the kind of wages that will get people into the middle class. Also, tourism is not a year-round contributor to our economy and leisure-related jobs rarely offer the pay and benefits that year-round, high-tech jobs at Pease (International Tradeport) are offering.

SV: Maine estimates more than one in 10 jobs is in the travel and tourism industry. New Hampshire estimates the industry creates 66,700 full-time and part-time jobs. How do these jobs, many of them service positions, affect the economy?

FRANCESE: I think the effect is quite positive. Maine is more dependent on tourism than New Hampshire. But those jobs are, for the most part, rarely stepping-stone jobs and they are usually filled by young people. One of the problems in New Hampshire and Maine is actually finding young people to take these jobs. I have noticed that some are now filled by temporary foreign workers.