The restored and operating SS Columbia will serve as a catalyst for a revitalized Hudson River Valley by promoting heritage tourism and responsible economic development. By delivering non-automotive visitors, the Columbia will provide an economic incentive for many riverfront communities to expand their emphasis on heritage tourism, thereby creating new jobs and business opportunities. Departing from New York City, excursions will travel through one of America’s most beautiful river valleys and dock at many of the historic river towns. Visitors traveling aboard the Columbia will be encouraged to stop in the towns to shop, eat, or spend the night and take the vessel back to NYC the following day. The project’s programming will actively promote visitor spending by providing promotional materials related to the region. The Columbia’s staff will make trip-planning easy by booking tours to historic sites and making reservations at restaurants, hotels, and B&Bs. The restoration of this historic transportation link will permit the cultural and environmental resources of the Hudson River Valley to be offered as an easily accessible and marketable package to tourists. The return of large-scale passenger traffic on the river by a vessel that is a cultural historic attraction itself will help to spark renewed interest and visibility for this great river and its valley in our collective consciousness.

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