Ciresi applauds Wolf Administration’s $17M investment in PA tourism industry

Rep. Joseph Ciresi    December 14, 2021 | 4:55 PM

HARRISBURG, Dec. 14 – An advocate for the Pennsylvania tourism industry, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, applauded the Wolf Administration’s dedication of $17,086,197 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to kickstart the recovery of the tourism industry in Pennsylvania in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“As a member of the House Tourism & Recreational Development Committee, I’ve been pushing for the state to invest in Pennsylvania’s tourism industry, as too many marketing opportunities were going to waste,” Ciresi said. “This money will provide opportunities to promote Pennsylvania’s destinations to diverse audiences, and so increase the numbers of people interested in visiting--and perhaps moving to--our beautiful state.  This grant money will help the tourism industry build back better, supporting the wide range of jobs and businesses that benefit from tourism. I applaud Gov. Wolf’s decision to make this strategic investment in Pennsylvania’s future.”

Pennsylvania’s travel and tourism industry supports over 490,000 jobs and generates $4.3 billion in annual tax revenue. Over 200 million people visit Pennsylvania each year, creating an economic impact of $46 billion.

After consulting with tourism stakeholders across the state and colleagues around the nation, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office at the Department of Community and Economic Development will invest the $17,086,197 in the following ways: 

  • $10 million to dramatically increase the PA Tourism Cooperative Marketing Advertising Program in 2022 and 2023 to create advertising opportunities for destination marketing organizations and industry associations by matching or possibly doubling their investment.
     
  • To attract new visitors and residents to Pennsylvania, the office will invest $6.8 million in new initiatives that will promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in marketing, messaging?, and product development to capture greater market share and, most importantly, in the approach to how Pennsylvania welcomes travelers to the commonwealth leaving a positive impact on the industry for decades to come.
     
  • To protect outdoor recreation assets that have historically experienced overcrowding, $250,000 will support the Outdoor Recreation Concierge Program via the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to train frontline workers and volunteers aimed at promoting the outdoor experiences of a region, with an emphasis on underutilized, hidden natural gems. 

The more than $17 million awarded to Pennsylvania was part of $510 million directed through U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration’s Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program, which is focused on accelerating the recovery of communities that rely on the travel, tourism and outdoor recreation sectors. The Pennsylvania Tourism Office, under the Department of Community and Economic Development, is dedicated to inspiring travel to Pennsylvania as the state’s official destination marketing organization. For more information, go to the visitPA website.