Daley applauds Wolf administration investment in tourism recovery
Rep. Mary Jo Daley December 16, 2021 | 4:13 PM
HARRISBURG, Dec. 16 – State Rep. Mary Jo Daley, minority chair of the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee, commended Gov. Tom Wolf’s dedication of more than $17 million to Pennsylvania’s travel and tourism sectors.
The funds come to Pennsylvania in the form of a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration as part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act.
“This kind of investment in inclusive tourism marketing is unprecedented in the commonwealth,” said Daley, D-Montgomery. “These kinds of short-term strategies to invite people to travel to Pennsylvania will massively boost our state’s tourism economy in the long term, as well. I commend the Wolf administration’s vision and plan for boosting this industry.”
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 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.
- $6.8 million toward new initiatives to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in marketing, messaging? and product development to capture greater market share and, most importantly, in the approach to how the state welcomes travelers to the commonwealth, leaving a positive impact on the industry for decades to come; and
- $250,000 to support the Outdoor Recreation Concierge Program via the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to train front-line workers and volunteers aimed at promoting the outdoor experiences of a region.
Daley says the DEI investment includes inclusivity training programs across the tourism industry, initiatives to provide more diverse experiences for travelers, and new marketing campaigns to reach a more diverse audience of travelers, contracting with agencies owned or led by those from various diverse communities.
The $17 million awarded to Pennsylvania was part of $510 million directed through EDA’s Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation program, which is focused on accelerating the recovery of communities that rely on the travel, tourism and outdoor recreation sectors.