Karen K眉hl is relinquishing her position as executive director of the Cayuga County Office of Tourism to embark on a year-long, cross-country trip with her husband.
碍眉丑濒听 her resignation on June 5. She plans to stay until Oct. 31 or when her successor is hired, whichever comes first. The Cayuga County Office of Tourism has already posted the position and is conducting a search.
"It was a hard decision to leave because it is a job that I am molded for, and I hate to leave it,"聽K眉hl told 人兽性交.
After being named executive director in December 2018,聽K眉hl led the tourism office through the COVID-19 pandemic. While that was a trying time for many industries, tourism was an exception. Cayuga County and the Finger Lakes region saw more people come from other locations, such as Boston, Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C.聽
碍眉丑濒听credited her office's efforts in attracting visitors to the area.
"We went straight into a shift of how we market, who we market to and to build the image of a vibrant community, a very supportive community," she said. "That made people want to come more."
It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that聽K眉hl and her husband converted a school bus into a makeshift RV. They have used the school bus for extended weekend getaways, but now it will be their vehicle to travel the U.S.
碍眉丑濒听said they plan to travel for one year, beginning the drive to Massachusetts before heading south. They are chasing 70-degree weather, she said, so they will trek through the southern states and up the West Coast before heading east. The couple will return to New York in fall 2026.
The cross-country trip is years in the making.聽K眉hl told 人兽性交 that her husband wanted to leave two years ago, but she insisted on staying in Cayuga County and continuing her role as tourism director.
This time, though, K眉hl agreed to give up her position for a year on the road with her husband.
"If I could do the job remotely, I would not be resigning," she said. "I can't be (remote) in a community-driven job. I'm making space for somebody else to continue doing the work. It's a fantastic place to work. It's a fantastic industry."
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 664-4631 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on X @RobertHarding.