North Conway, NH – Weather and timing worked in favor of Mt. Washington Valley businesses over the Labor Day holiday weekend, Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2025. The Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce surveyed local businesses to capture insights on both Labor Day weekend and the full summer season. Nearly half of survey participants were lodging businesses, just over a third represented attractions and recreation, and the remainder were dining and retail establishments.

Labor Day Weekend Highlights
Over the holiday weekend, 77 percent of businesses reported that activity met or exceeded expectations. More than half of respondents (53 percent) described the weekend as “good,” while another 24 percent said it was “great,” reflecting above-average business levels. Eighteen percent said the holiday was “fair,” and 6 percent reported business as “poor” and well below expectations. Overall, the results indicate a solid finish to the summer season, even if some businesses had hoped for more.

Becca Deschenes, Marketing Director for Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, reported,“We had a strong Labor Day weekend with cooperative weather, and the Valley overall felt busy. We’re seeing visitors are being more conservative with spending, and while the first half of summer was below average, likely due to weather, August came back strong despite a few extremely hot days. We’ve noticed booking patterns shifting, with more guests reserving online much closer to their arrival dates, though walk-up business continues to surpass online reservations.”

Alex Foti, President of Bretton Woods Vacations in Carroll, NH, agreed, “We have been enjoying some phenomenal weather leading up to the holiday - cool nights, crisp days, and lots of sunshine. The summer as a whole has been quite dry, and while the earlier part of the Labor Day weekend wasn't the sunniest, I believe the general conditions led to a significant improvement over last year. Occupancy was up a significant 53%, from 42% last year to 72% this year.”

Tad Furtado of the newly opened Saphouse Meadery in North Conway, NH reported, “This weekend was as solid for us as the Fourth of July weekend. This Saturday was our second busiest day ever since opening. July Fourth was, of course, the most busy.”

Factors Driving Labor Day Business
Survey respondents cited a mix of economic, weather, and timing factors:

• Economic and visitor trends: 64 percent noted economic factors and fewer Canadian travelers. Visitation from Canadians was reported to be down about 39 percent compared to last year. Businesses also highlighted caution in visitor spending.
  
  
• Weather: 55 percent cited favorable weather conditions, which helped boost visitation despite some early cloudiness.
  
  
• Timing of the holiday: 27 percent reported that an earlier Labor Day, combined with later school start dates, influenced visitation patterns. Some noted guests departing earlier than the traditional Monday check-out.
  
  
• Business practices: 9 percent credited their own practices, including strong online reviews and increased local engagement, for driving traffic.
  
  

Summer 2025 Business Overview
For the full summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day), responses show that 47 percent of businesses reported summer business met or exceeded expectations, while 47 percent described summer as “fair,” and 6 percent said it was “poor.”

Common factors cited included:

• Weather and seasonal timing (29 percent): A slow June was followed by a much stronger August.
  
  
• Economic pressures (29 percent): Visitors spent less on discretionary items, and rising labor and supply costs affected margins.
  
  
• Visitation trends (29 percent): Shifts in arrival patterns, increased competition, and fewer international visitors, including Canadians, were noted.
  
  
• Dining and retail trends (12 percent): Dinner traffic was strong, but lunch and souvenir sales were softer.
  
  

Why Visitors Come to the Valley
Outdoor activities were the top draw, cited by 47 percent of respondents, including hiking, natural beauty, and family-friendly adventures. Shopping accounted for 24 percent, family attractions like Story Land for 18 percent, and convenient drive-to access for another 18 percent. Affordability was mentioned by 12 percent, with recommendations and repeat visits rounding out the list at 6 percent.

Chamber Perspective
Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Chris Proulx stated, “While this summer brought challenges for many of our businesses, the results also highlight the resilience and appeal of the Mount Washington Valley. Labor Day weekend showed solid performance, helped by favorable weather and strong visitor interest in our outdoor recreation and family attractions. At the same time, the full summer season reflected pressures from rising costs and more cautious consumer spending. Taken together, these results underscore both the strength of the Valley as a destination and the importance of continued marketing and support for our local businesses as they navigate a changing economy.”

Bob Tupper of White Lake Speedway summed it up best, “In a fragile economy, overall we had a good summer!”

For more information on Mt. Washington Valley, NH, visit www.VisitMWV.com. To learn more about New Hampshire vacations, go to www.VisitNH.gov.

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