Gettysburg tourism agency receives state grant

(Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) - 1/16/2008

Gettysburg, Pa �-- The Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau received $280,101 in State Matching Grant funds as part of a statewide $10.6 million tourism promotional effort, Gov. Ed Rendell announced Monday.

�This funding, supplemented by our percentage of the lodging tax, is dedicated to the marketing and sales campaigns that we deliver each year,� said Norris Flowers, President of the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. �Through print, broadcast and direct marketing, we help to bring nearly 2 million visitors to Gettysburg and Adams County annually.�

The funding comes after a six-month delay in the grant application process. This process is currently under review for the 2008-2009 grant period. The Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau supports the development of a new funding formula for the future distribution of the grant that would be fair to all Tourism Promotion Agencies.

Our region � the Dutch Country Roads Region comprised of tourism agencies that represent Gettysburg, York County, Lancaster County, Franklin County, Lebanon County, Cumberland Valley, and the Harrisburg-Hershey area � is second only to the Philadelphia region in visitor spending.

Tourism is the largest industry in Adams County. This year, the Visitors Bureau will spend more than $800,000 � more than 60 percent of its budget - marketing Gettysburg as a top tourist destination. Visitor spending in Gettysburg has continued to increase since 2002, and in 2005 surpassed $300 million.

For more information, contact Carl Whitehill, Media Relations Manager with the Gettysburg Convention & Visitor�s Bureau at (717) 334-6274 or by e-mail at [email protected].

The Gettysburg Convention & Visitor�s Bureau, the official tourism promotion agency, markets Gettysburg � Adams County as a premier travel destination, producing a positive economic impact.