Long Island has long been known for its beaches, wineries, parks, downtowns, restaurants, cultural destinations, and waterfront communities. But if we still think of tourism and travel as seasonal activity, we are missing the larger economic picture.
Tourism is no longer simply about summer visitors. It is a year-round economic engine that supports jobs, strengthens small businesses, drives investment, and helps position Long Island as a place to visit, live, work and do business.
A Timely Regional Conversation
That message came through clearly at HIA-LI’s recent Economic Development Task Force program, The Economic Engine of Tourism and Travel on Long Island, held in partnership with Strata Alliance on April 29 at Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP in Ronkonkoma. Moderated by HIA-LI Board Member Joe Campolo — founder of the Strata Alliance and Managing Partner at Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP — the discussion brought together Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter, Long Island MacArthur Airport Commissioner Robert Schneider, Discover Long Island Chief Operating Officer Sharon Wyman, and members of the regional business community for a timely conversation about one of Long Island’s most important economic opportunities.
The enthusiasm in the room was unmistakable. Business leaders, public officials and tourism professionals recognize that travel and tourism are not separate from economic development. They are central to it.
The Numbers Tell the Story
According to Discover Long Island, Long Island reached $7.9 billion in tourism spending in 2024, supporting nearly 80,000 jobs and generating more than $945 million in state and local tax revenue. Projections for 2025 are expected to exceed $8 billion. Those figures represent hotel stays, restaurant visits, downtown shopping, transportation, cultural attractions, meetings, events, and the many local businesses that benefit when people choose Long Island.
Sharon Wyman and the team at Discover Long Island continue to play an essential role in telling that story. Their work as the region’s destination marketing organization helps promote not only our beaches and traditional tourism assets, but also our downtowns, cultural heritage, small businesses, parks, events, and year-round experiences.
MacArthur Airport as Economic Infrastructure
At the same time, Long Island MacArthur Airport has become an increasingly important part of the region’s growth strategy. Under the leadership of the Town of Islip and Commissioner Robert Schneider, ISP — MacArthur’s three-letter airport code — has grown from two carriers serving six nonstop destinations to six carriers serving 16 nonstop destinations. The airport now generates approximately $600 million in annual economic impact, supports approximately 6,000 direct and indirect jobs, and served more than 1.6 million passengers in 2025, its highest total in more than 15 years.
That growth matters far beyond aviation. Airports are gateways. For many visitors, Long Island MacArthur Airport is their first impression of our region. As Commissioner Schneider has noted, transportation is the front door to the visitor experience. A strong airport supports tourism, business travel, workforce access, hospitality and broader regional competitiveness.
Supervisor Carpenter also highlighted the importance of the proposed North Terminal, which would move the airport’s main passenger terminal to the north side of the property, adjacent to the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station. Governor Kathy Hochul has committed $150 million for infrastructure around the North Terminal, helping move forward a project that could reshape regional mobility. With the airport, Suffolk County bus connections, and the Ronkonkoma LIRR station — including many trains that provide a one-seat ride into New York City — all in close proximity, Ronkonkoma has the potential to become one of Long Island’s most important transportation hubs.
A Moment to Invest
As Joe Campolo observed during the discussion, Long Island has a rare alignment of assets right now: a rapidly growing airport, town and county support for additional hospitality infrastructure, and extraordinary marketing by Discover Long Island. That synergy creates an opportunity we should not miss.
At HIA-LI, we believe economic development depends on collaboration. Tourism, transportation, hospitality, downtown revitalization, infrastructure, and business growth all work together. The more strategically we connect those pieces, the stronger Long Island’s economy becomes.
At HIA-LI, we believe economic development depends on collaboration. Tourism, transportation, hospitality, downtown revitalization, infrastructure and business growth all work together. The more strategically we connect those pieces, the stronger Long Island’s economy becomes. The opportunity before us is to invest in that momentum, market the region aggressively, and make sure the benefits are felt across Long Island.
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