Apr 13, 2023 3 min read

Washington County’s tourism industry continues to be a major driver in our local economy and its impact has again been demonstrated by a study released by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

In their 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 total tourism demand. The county also saw increases in individual tourism categories such as lodging, food and beverage, and retail. 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.

According to the report, travel and tourism direct impacts for visitor spending in Washington County in 2021, the most recent available data, was approximately $594 million – an increase from $460.9 million the year before. The report also stated that Washington County’s travel economy employed 7,641 people and generated $349 million in labor income, both 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 $141.3 million in federal, state, and local tax revenue. This is positive news as we look forward to the approaching 2023 tourism season in our area.

It is also important to recognize that the tourism industry, like all businesses, must continually invest to improve the visitor experience and add value for the consumer.

We see this locally with projects like the new Barstool Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, Liberty Pole Spirits’ new campus distillery, and the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s welcome and education center. These projects, along with the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency’s recent announcement of over $200,000 in new marketing and capital grants to tourism organizations, represent extensive investments that will translate into new visitors and opportunities in Washington County.

Policy makers are also recognizing the importance of investing in the tourism industry. State Sen. Devlin Robinson, the Allegheny County Republican, recently announced his intention to introduce legislation to standardize the process for authorizing tourism improvement districts (TID) across the state. A TID allows a community to approve a special assessment on lodging stays among a coalition of property owners in a defined area and dedicates that funding to branding, marketing, or development within that area. The TID is controlled by the participating property owners and provides a stable, targeted funding source for projects within the TID. This is welcome news that would promote our county and increase investment in specific areas.

The DCED study’s performance measurements recognize that our tourism marketing efforts are realizing a significant return on investment for Washington County and contributing to our county’s economic success. It demonstrates that our county is not only a great place to visit but our tourism assets are also paying dividends to our economy.

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