Rendell Administration Awards $500,000 in
Heritage Tourism Development Grants

Funding Supports Programs That Market Heritage Tourism

 Governor Edward G. Rendell has announced that $500,000 has been granted to 12 organizations to help market heritage tourism in Pennsylvania.

“When communities understand their heritage, they can celebrate it and harness it to increase tourism, create jobs and create wealth,” said Governor Rendell. “Tourism can then grow in a spirit that is faithful to a community’s people, their history and their cultures, and improve the quality of life.”

The goal of the grant is to increase the quality, length and number of visits; boost visitor spending; spur economic growth, including new jobs; and encourage the preservation of Pennsylvania’s historical assets by making them economically productive.

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office received 42 grant applications. Each grant was reviewed by a committee comprised of members of the Travel and Tourism Partnership, a public-private partnership that advises the Governor and the Department of Community and Economic Development on tourism plans and policy.

Tourism is Pennsylvania’s second-largest industry, and with about 117 million visitors annually, Pennsylvania is the fourth most visited state in the country, tied with New York. The total impact of travelers’ spending on Pennsylvania’s economy is about $34 billion a year, and tourism is responsible for more than 563,000 jobs.

One grant of $30,000 went to the Pike County Chamber of Commerce to support marketing a cluster of attractions in Pike County, the fastest-growing county in the state and one with significant tourism from New York and New Jersey.

According to Dave Wilson, Executive Director, “the timing of this grant couldn’t be better. Having lost the marketing dollars we used to receive from the county, these new funds will breathe life back into our efforts to attract visitors to our area.”