MID-HUDSON – Governor Paterson last week said traffic on the Thruway is down because people are cutting back on travel and vacations because of the high price of gasoline and the downturn in the economy.

In the Hudson Valley, tourism may be feeling some effects, like a slowdown in mid-week and long distance travel. But, Hudson Valley Tourism Director Mary Kay Vrba told MidHudsonNews.com she is also seeing some increased traffic at the area’s destinations.

“Some of our attractions here in the Hudson Valley are seeing an increase in attendance and I think our overnight accommodations are seeing some drop off, particularly mid-week; I think we are still having a strong weekend market,” she said. “I think people are taking vacations, they are just more last minute and they are probably not the distance they have done before.”

Vrba said she has seen continued growth of visitors at national destinations like the FDR estate in Hyde Park.