For the fourth year in a row, New Hampshire retained the top spot for its business friendliness, according to CNBC’s latest Top States rankings, and landed in the top 10 for its workforce and quality of life.
CNBC has compiled rankings of all 50 states for the past 12 years. This year, New Hampshire ranked 25th overall, the second highest in New England, and showed gains in several categories. The state rose to No. 8 for its workforce, an 11-place jump from no. 19 in 2018.
“Workers in the Granite State are well educated,” according to CNBC. “The percentage of adults with bachelors’ degrees or higher is the 10th best of any state. And those educated adults are staying put. New Hampshire is also in the top 10 for the percentage of workers in STEM jobs.”
The state retained no. 5 for the second year in a row as the best state to live in, based on data that includes crime rates, environmental quality and inclusiveness.
“New Hampshire has a modern economy with significant growth in advanced and emerging industries that is supported by a defined and highly aligned pipeline of talent,” said Commissioner Taylor Caswell of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “We also offer unbeatable outdoor lifestyle assets, and with no income or sales tax, people are learning that if they move here, they get to keep more of their paycheck.”
“With its famous motto, “Live Free or Die,” it stands to reason that the Granite State is among America’s most inclusive,” according to CNBC. “Freedom also includes security. New Hampshire enjoys the third lowest violent crime rate in the nation. The state also boasts the nation’s lowest child poverty rate.”
For more information about living in New Hampshire, visit ChooseNH.com; if you are thinking of moving or expanding your business here, visit nheconomy.com.
With momentum building following successful fall and winter travel seasons, the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs expects significant growth for the summer 2019 travel season, projecting more than 3.6 million overnight visitors will spend about $1.9 billion – a 2.7 percent increase in visitation and spending over last year.
BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell, joined by representatives from BEA’s Division of Travel & Tourism Development and a local tourism partners, kicked off the summer travel season today in Littleton, unveiling its summer travel forecast and marketing campaign.
“As our state’s second-largest revenue generator, tourism is absolutely vital to our economy here in New Hampshire,” said Caswell. “Summer is our busiest travel season, representing more than 40 percent of our total annual visitation, and this year we’re anticipating substantial growth. We pride ourselves on our variety within proximity, which is never more evident than in summer, when visitors can experience an incredible range of experiences in one trip – or even just one day.”
The state’s summer marketing campaign continues to build on the Live Free brand, while positioning New Hampshire as the northeast’s premier travel destination.
BEA will focus its summer campaign on the New England market, including Hartford, Conn., Portland, Maine, and Providence, R.I., along with the major metropolitan markets of Boston, New York, Montréal and Toronto.
In addition to New Hampshire’s strategic marketing and advertising initiatives, lower gas prices and high consumer confidence as strong indicators supporting a successful summer season.
Commissioner Taylor Caswell’s statement on the South Dakota v. Wayfair decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The Wayfair decision handed down today by the United States Supreme Court tells New Hampshire businesses that they now must collect taxes for politicians in other states that they did not elect. This is unacceptable.
“New Hampshire businesses have never, ever, collected a sales tax and New Hampshire residents have never, ever, paid an income tax. Imposing this new requirement on us isn’t just an administrative burden, it goes against what New Hampshire stands for: Live Free or Die.
“The thousands of small businesses that drive our economy must not be forced to become tax collectors for other states. I am working with state leaders to determine a path forward aimed at defending New Hampshire’s business community from this modern-day taxation without representation scheme.”
Taylor Caswell
Commissioner
NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs
Carmen Lorentz, left, Vicki Cimino, Ken Cail before this week’s New Hampshire Business Matters on WTPL-FM, where Cimino talked about this summer’s visitor forecast. Listen here.
Memorial Day holiday weekend, the unofficial kick-off to summer, is predicted to begin a record setting summer tourism season in New Hampshire. More than 600,000 people are expected to visit the state this weekend, spending approximately $95 million, 5 percent above last year.
The growth is forecast to continue through the summer, with the number of travelers expected to reach 16.5 million, a 6 percent increase from 2015. They are expected to spend an estimated $2.16 billion, 4 percent more than last summer. According to the Institute for New Hampshire Studies, a favorable regional economy and lower gas prices are two factors helping fuel the anticipated increases.
Visitors to New Hampshire this summer will come from New England and the mid-Atlantic states. The central and eastern regions of Canada remain important secondary markets for New Hampshire. The months of June, July and August are the busiest of any three-month travel season in New Hampshire.
The New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development last week kicked off the state’s summer promotion campaign, which inspires visitors to Live Free while seeking new adventures, such as surfing, ATVing, mountain biking, kayaking and whitewater rafting. The campaign is aimed at travelers in Boston, New York, Quebec and Ontario and includes a mix of new television commercials, and transit, digital and print advertising. View the commercials on VisitNH’s YouTube channel.
In front of hundreds of people on the front lines of all the reasons people come here to visit the Granite State, they unveiled their new campaign.
Live Free and …
As Lori Harnois explains in the video, these three words invite visitors to fill in that last word. It’s indeed an invitation to be adventurous, follow a passion or just be. It invokes part of our state motto, a source of pride to us, and with this campaign, we invite our visitors to share all the things we love about New Hampshire.
Tourism is a $4 billion industry here — our second largest — and employs over 64,000 people. For every dollar spent to encourage visitors, more than $9 comes back. Beyond all the activities and the beauty, the intangible visitors find here – the sense of place and the spirit – that’s priceless.
Being that it’s Friday and it’s time to switch gears, finish this sentence:
