New York has launched a statewide cider-tourism campaign that will connect travelers with orchards, cideries, restaurants and nearby lodging through a new partnership between the New York Cider Association and Airbnb.
The “NY State of Cider” campaign includes an online guide covering five cider-producing regions, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul's announcement. The launch carries out an agritourism commitment in her 2026 State of the State address.
The initiative is intended to bring visitors to rural businesses and farms, rather than promote cider as a stand-alone product. The guide will link accommodations with cideries, orchards, restaurants, liquor stores, attractions and outdoor activities that travelers can combine in a trip.
Hochul said the partnership is meant to create opportunities for farms, small businesses, restaurants and tourism destinations. The announcement does not put a dollar amount on campaign funding or project the number of visitors it will attract.
Digital guide connects lodging and local businesses
The New York landing page on Airbnb's website will feature five distinct cider regions across the state. The announcement describes the guide's types of destinations but does not list the five regions or individual businesses in its text.
The broader campaign will include integrated marketing, digital storytelling, culinary partnerships, tourism promotion and public-engagement activities. Those elements are intended to make cider part of the state's agricultural heritage and visitor experience.
Airbnb says 86% of travelers are interested in visiting rural communities and nearly two-thirds of its guests travel within about 480 kilometers of home. Those figures are attributed to the company; the state announcement does not provide a sample size, field dates or methodology for them.
Michael Blaustein, Airbnb's policy lead for the Northeast Atlantic region, said the guide is intended to help visitors discover cider country and direct more of their spending to hosts and small businesses.
New York Cider Association Executive Director Scott Ramsey described the campaign as a way to support agriculture, local businesses and agritourism. He said the industry connects orchards and growers with makers, restaurants and their surrounding communities.
State highlights cider industry's agricultural role
New York has more active cideries than any other state and ranks second nationally in apple production, according to the governor's office. The announcement describes New York as the country's leading hard-cider producer and puts the industry's total annual economic impact above $1.8 billion.
The state says orchards and cideries preserve productive farmland, support thousands of jobs and contribute to local economies. Those are the administration's descriptions of the industry, not measured results of the newly launched campaign.
Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said visits to cideries can support growers and local food systems while helping maintain farm landscapes. State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan said the agency supports the effort to promote producers and local businesses.
Empire State Development President and CEO Hope Knight said the campaign would encourage residents and visitors to explore the state's agricultural offerings. State Sen. Michelle Hinchey emphasized family-run orchards, cideries and restaurants as destinations the partnership could help visitors find.
Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo said she supported including the initiative in this year's state budget. A co-sponsor of the original Farm Cidery law, she linked the campaign to the industry's growth and its place in agritourism.
The campaign begins with the digital-guide partnership and statewide promotional work. Its stated purpose is to help travelers build trips around existing cider businesses, with lodging, food and outdoor destinations nearby.
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