PA Wilds Receives $200k of $5.4 Million in Statewide Grants

Governor Rendell Awards $5.4 Million to Tourism Marketing Groups

Harrisburg – To sustain the more than 600,000 tourism jobs in the commonwealth, Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced $5.4 million in grants to help local and regional organizations market tourism attractions across the State of Independence.

“Supporting tourism marketing is vital to small and family businesses across the commonwealth,” Governor Rendell said. “Many of these businesses count on the promotions that are made possible by local marketing agencies.”

Pennsylvania ranks as the fifth most-visited state, attracting more than 140 million visitors a year, while booking 25 million hotel rooms. Tourism injects $28 billion into the state’s economy and provides a cumulative paycheck of $18 billion for hardworking Pennsylvanians.

Under Act 50 of 2008, recognized tourism promotion agencies are awarded funding based on a formula that weighs the agency’s eligible expenses, hotel room revenues and an evaluation of the proposed use for the funding.

The law also provides funding for regional marketing partnership organizations in two categories: place- and experience-based. Place-based organizations work to promote a specific region of the state while experience-based organizations promote a unique experience or activity.

“In addition to the traditional place-based marketing, we are providing funding directly to the state’s ‘enthusiast-based’ industries. These organizations work to promote the golf and snowmobiling opportunities, as well as showcase our heritage areas, artisans and wine trails,” said Mickey Rowley, deputy secretary for tourism.

The $5.4 million is to be used to create or expand new and innovative programs that complement the state’s tourism promotion efforts, which may include advertising campaigns, public relations strategies, online marketing efforts, and Web site development.

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office, under the state Department of Community and Economic Development, is dedicated to inspiring travel to the State of Independence.

For more information, go to www.visitPA.com or call (800) VISIT PA; become a fan at facebook.com/visitPA; follow us at twitter.com/visitPA; share photos at flickr.com/visitPA; or watch us on youtube.com/visitPA. For a free subscription to Pursuits Magazine, go to visitPA.com/pursuits.

Media contacts:
Michael Chapaloney, Tourism; 717-720-1301
Gary Tuma, Governor’s Office; 717-783-1116

Editor’s Note: Listed below are the regional marketing partnership and tourism promotion agency grants that have been awarded for fiscal year 2010-11:

Regional Marketing Partnership place-based grants totaling $1,850,500:

• Pennsylvania Wilds, $200,000, a 12-county region that includes Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga and Warren counties. • The Alleghenies, $125,000, an eight-county region that includes Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin counties. • Laurel Highlands, $50,000, a three-county region that includes Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties. • Dutch Country Roads, $200,000, a nine-county region that includes Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties. • Philadelphia and The Countryside, $647,500, a five-county region that includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. • Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region, $110,000, a four-county region that includes Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Venango counties. • Pittsburgh and its Countryside, $290,000, an eight-county region that includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence and Washington counties. • Upstate PA, $110,000, a 11-county region that includes Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties. • Valleys of the Susquehanna, $68,000, a five-county region that includes Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties. • Lehigh Valley, $50,000, a two-county region encompassing Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Regional Marketing Partnership experience-based grants totaling $850,000:

• Pennsylvania Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, $25,000, to promote group and motorcoach tours. • Pennsylvania Golf Course Owners Association, $75,000, for further promotion of playing golf in Pennsylvania.

• Ready, Set, Go, PA Sports, administered by the Pennsylvania Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, $100,000, for the sales and promotion of attracting sporting events to Pennsylvania. • Pennsylvania Winery Association, $75,000, for promotion of Pennsylvania’s wine trails. • Pennsylvania Artisan Trails, administered by the Perry County Council of the Arts, $75,000, to promote the state’s seven artisan trails. • Pennsylvania Heritage Areas, administered by the PA Route 6 Marketing Partnership, $175,000, for promotion efforts. • International Tourism Marketing, administered by the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, $275,000, for marketing efforts, trade show attendance, and maintaining a presence in the international tourism marketplace. • Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association, $50,000, for promotion of snowmobiling opportunities in the state and including the use of social media.

Tourism Promotion Assistance grants: $2,700,500:

Allegheny Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau – $39,606
Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau – $8,072
Armstrong County Tourist Bureau – $5,208
Beaver County Recreation and Tourism Department – $9,151
Bedford County Conference and Visitors Bureau -$14,110
Brandywine Conference and Visitors Bureau – $40,202
Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau – $87,822
Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau – $28,507
Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau – $55,725
Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau – $63,150
Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority – $11,210
Clinton County Economic Partnership -$7,024
Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau – $24,844
Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau – $7,109
Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau – $27,550
Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau – $15,055
Franklin County Visitors Bureau – $22,605
Fulton County Chamber of Commerce – $416
Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau – $35,236
Greater Johnstown/Cambria County CVB – $16,773
Greater Reading Convention and Visitors Bureau – $36,339
Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency -$3,308
Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau – $114,177
Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau – $10,369
Indiana County Tourist Bureau – $8,578
Lackawanna County Convention and Visitors Bureau – $35,772
Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau – $69,444
Lawrence County Tourist Promotion Agency – $3,952
Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau Inc. – $94,821
Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau – $24,220
Lycoming County Visitors Bureau – $14,883
Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau – $20,803
Northwest Pennsylvania’s Great Outdoors – $26,052
Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism – $5,649
Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau – $160,270
Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau – $655,339
Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau – $223,944
Potter County Visitors Association – $2,917
Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau – $8,453
Susquehanna River Valley – $27,494
Tioga County Visitors Bureau – $6,650
Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau – $158,442
VisitErie – $31,846
VisitPittsburgh – $343,859
Warren County Visitors Bureau – $4,309
Washington Tourism Promotion Agency – $27,667
York County Convention and Visitors Bureau – $61,568

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