New economic report shows that visitor spending is strong in Adams County
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – May 31, 2023
As the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg approaches this summer, visitor spending and employment in the tourism industry have returned to 84 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels, according to a recently released economic study. This indicates that with the return to normalcy around the world, there is a resurgence within the thriving Adams County tourism industry.
Tourism creates a positive economic impact through factors such as visitor spending, increased employment, and tax revenue. Whether visitors are spending money at hotels, restaurants, attractions, tours, or stores – it all contributes to a bigger impact on the community.
According to a report commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, visitor spending rose by 13 percent in 2021 to $630.4 million. Just one year prior, at the height of the COVID pandemic, spending by visitors had dipped to $480 million.
“The pandemic not only had a drastic impact on travelers’ ability to visit destinations, but it closed the doors to many of the places we love,” said Karl Pietrzak, President and CEO of Destination Gettysburg. “It is no surprise that this pandemic negatively impacted numerous industries across the globe, but the tourism and travel industry took one of the hardest hits.”
In 2019, Adams County reached peak numbers in its travel and tourism industry performance. Visitor spending hit an all-time high of $750.7 million in Adams County. The community prospered while travel and tourism-based jobs employed almost 5,400 people.
Employment is improving significantly today, supporting nearly 4,600 jobs in Adams County’s tourism industry, with employment rates up at just about 85 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the economic report. At the peak of COVID-19 in 2020, employment stood at approximately 4,150 employees in Adams County.
When traveling to Gettysburg, visitors pay taxes on goods and services they use while visiting, providing federal, state, and local governments with additional funding. In 2021, visitor spending in Adams County generated $70.2 million in taxes alone. This tax revenue paid by visitors supports services that then in turn, benefit local residents and government.
“We’re extremely happy to see Gettysburg and our community thriving again,” said Pietrzak. “There is no doubt in my mind that the best days are yet to come for the tourism industry in Adams County, and I think these numbers we’ve seen will only continue to increase.”
Destination Gettysburg is the official destination marketing organization that markets Gettysburg and Adams County as a premier travel destination, producing a positive economic impact.