Feb 4, 2021 4 min read

In challenging times, it is important that we look for positives, and Washington County received some encouraging news concerning our tourism industry from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED). In their most recently released annual report, the Economic Impact of Travel and Tourism in Pennsylvania, DCED firmly placed Washington County as second in the Greater Pittsburgh Region in significant tourism impact categories such as Traveler Spending, Travel Industry Employment and Overall Travel Industry Impacts. The county also saw increases in individual tourism categories such as Lodging, Food & Beverage, Shopping and Recreation. It can be easy to overlook news like this, but as we look toward the 2021 tourism season and our region’s continued economic recovery from the global pandemic, it is reassuring to know that we have a strong foundation in place from which to build.

According to the report, direct traveler spending in Washington County in 2018 (which is the most recent available data) was approximately $737.3 million – up from $703.7 million the previous year. This represented a nearly 5% increase in traveler spending over the prior year. The report also stated that Washington County’s tourism industry employed 6,000 people and generated $204.1 million in labor income, both representing increases over the prior year. These impressive statistics allow Washington County to rank as the second highest – after Allegheny County – in traveler spending, tourism employment and overall travel impacts among counties in the eight county Greater Pittsburgh Region. These travel industry impacts also generated nearly $44.4 million in state and local tax revenue. And of course, this overall tourism activity continues to drive business and promote Washington County’s high quality of life.

It was unfortunate that this good news was overlooked when our entire economy was upended by the onset of the pandemic and the tourism economy would be one of the hardest hit sectors. As noted, tourism spending is a significant part of our local economy, in line with other industries such as energy, manufacturing, financial services and health care. This study highlights not only the importance of tourism in the continued diversification of our economy, but also the success we have achieved in marketing our county as a premier tourism destination. This steady growth contributes to our economic strength by adding to our economic diversity and ensuring business and employment opportunities for our residents.

Appropriately, it is important to recognize that our tourism industry, like all businesses, must continually refine messaging and promotion efforts as well as define our customers. More and more travelers are interested in history, food, gaming, outdoor recreation, shopping and other unique experiences and our marketing initiatives reflect these trends. And, like all other businesses, we must demonstrate a return on investment – a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency or effectiveness of an investment. Our positive return on investment is reflected in terms of increased direct traveler spending, increases in tourism employment, overall impacts, and other category increases as documented by the DCED study. We, and our partners, are proud of this contribution to our county’s economic success.

While this report highlights the success of our tourism promotion efforts in Washington County, it also challenges us to maintain and, more importantly, build on these achievements. One way to continue this momentum is to invest in our tourism assets, particularly when the economy is down. The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency is committed to supporting and developing our county’s tourism industry and recently made nearly $100,000 in new marketing and capital investments to ensure our entertainment, historical and cultural attractions are prepared and positioned to take full advantage of new opportunities as we emerge from the pandemic. Looking to the future and charting a course for recovery, it is this foundation of success and willingness to invest that will guide us back to prosperity.

Jeff M. Kotula, is president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Promotion Agency.