BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — Director of Tourism Don Meissner is pushing hard to bring more attention to Massena and surrounding areas, attracting anglers to the region through sports shows and Youtube content.

Meissner told the Massena Town Board that sports shows and Youtube Content he has created has been a big boost to marketing efforts, saying many anglers and tournament organizers are now aware of Massena through those efforts.

One of the large attractions for attendees has been the Nicandri Nature Center, he said.

Many visitors, including a couple from the Catskills, told Meissner they were impressed with Massena after he took them on a tour around town. That was all prior to them even fishing.

“As we drove out by the Power Authority land, he looked at me and he said, ‘My goodness, they could make movies here.’ he says, ‘This area is incredible,’” Meisner told the board.

Meissner said he has had other individuals reach out to him after seeing content on the UpNorthNY channel, saying some have come for muskie fishing as well.

One caller from Niagara Falls reached out to Meissner after seeing his videos.

He’s coming up here again in another week to experience another area. He’s already become so familiar with this area just due to these videos,” he said.

Meissner detailed other visitors from Brooklyn and sports shows he attended in Suffern that have led to an influx of anglers coming to the area.

Those visitors help promote tourism while contributing to the tax base, he said.

Word of mouth has also been a huge positive for Massena, with tournament directors sharing their positive experiences, Meissner previously told the board.

Another angle of marketing that has helped drive tourism in Massena is Google Maps, according to Linda McQuinn. McQuinn has also played a large role in promoting Massena and fishing tournaments, along with grant writing efforts that have paid off big time for Massena.

“If you go into Google Maps, you can search for Massena, New York boat launches. This is something that Dave Swanson with his UpNorthNY effort and Don have been working collaboratively on to provide information to visitors about the launch sites that are in and around Massena,” she said.

“That’s important because people come here maybe not to fish, but certainly to enjoy the water. If they bring a boat or if they bring a canoe or kayak, they’re interested in how do I get to the water.”