ALBANY, NY — The administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on October 23 that it will make a significant effort to promote tourism in the Catskills region next summer. Cuomo announced the first-ever Catskill Challenge, to be modeled after his Adirondack Challenge this year, which received a great deal of publicity.

In a press release, Cuomo said the Catskill Challenge will “promote tourism and showcase all of the recreational opportunities the region has to offer, including fly fishing, paddling, hiking and mountain biking… and will bring together state and local officials, tourism industry representatives and outdoor enthusiasts to explore the Catskills region.”

Cuomo made the announcement as part of a motorcycle tour he took around the Catskills with a contingent of state troopers. Cuomo said, “The Catskills Region is home to some of the most beautiful mountains, views and attractions in the world, and through these initiatives, we are once again putting the spotlight on this state’s unparalleled outdoor recreational opportunities.”

The initiative includes a new website called “Ride the Catskills” (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/102119.html), which is housed in the website of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The site features various attractions in Sullivan County, such as trails and historic tours.

The initiative also includes a $5 million tourism ad campaign that will be rolled out next year to promote the Catskills.

The most ambitious part of the program is located in Ulster County. It is a $7.3 million project in the Minnewaska Preserve State Park near Kerhonkson on the Shawangunk Ridge. The project will feature a new 6,000-square-foot visitor center and is supported by a pledge from the Open Space Institute (OSI) to raise $3 million in private philanthropy, to pay for design and construction services.

The visitor center will be used for educational programs, will include restrooms and will bring potable water to the park for the first time. There will also be a 50-person warming hut, which will aid in attracting visitors in all four seasons.

“Through his Parks 2020 Initiative, Gov. Cuomo is making a historic commitment to New Yorkers by restoring and modernizing our world-class state parks,” said Kim Elliman, president and CEO of the Open Space Institute. “OSI is proud to have joined with the state and other partners to build Minnewaska over the past 40 years.”