Richard Moody is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media data recently released by the state showed the positive impact of tourism on the economies of both Columbia and Greene counties. The report, issued by Empire State Development, found that 8.5 percent of Columbia County's labor force was supported by visitors in 2017, more than any other county in the Hudson Valley. That same year, the county reported a 10 percent increase in visitor spending, the largest increase of any county in the Hudson Valley Region. “I am extremely pleased with the work our tourism department is doing and I’m especially pleased with the successes that the county tourism industry, businesses and organizations continue to achieve,” Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell said. Greene County relies heavily on tax revenue from tourism with the industry generating $11.3 million in 2017. That revenue saved county households an average of more than $1,200 in taxes to maintain the same level of government spending, according to the report. “We are very happy with the numbers Greene County showed...,” said Greene County Tourism Director Heather Bagshaw. “We saw a 7.8 percent increase in visitor spending. That is a great increase.” Next to traveler spending on second homes, lodging was the item travelers spent the most on in 2017 at $43.6 million, according to the report. Greene County recorded the highest percentage of tourism-generated employment in the Catskills Region, which includes Delaware, Sullivan and Ulster counties. Tourism generated $47.3 million in direct labor income last year. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.