National Travel and Tourism Week to be celebrated May 19-25, 2024
Johnstown, PA – Established in 1983, National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is an annual tradition to celebrate the U.S. travel community and travel’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses, and elevating the quality of life for Americans every day. Travel is a $2.6 trillion industry that supports nearly 15 million American jobs.
Based on a report of Cambria County in 2022, by Tourism Economics and Oxford Economics Company for the Pennsylvania Office of Tourism, Cambria County generated $288.8 million in visitor spending, a $37.7 million increase over 2021 and a 93% recovery from pre-COVID spending in 2019. Visitor spending in Cambria County by category totaled $21.8 million on lodging; $65 million on food and beverage; $43.9 million on retail; $53.2 million on recreation; and $104.9 million on transportation. In the Alleghenies region, 14,200 jobs are directly supported by visitor spending which results in one out of every ten jobs in the region.
In Cambria County, 2022 visitor spending directly supported 2,023 jobs; generated $72.7 million in labor income; $14.6 million in state and local taxes; and $16.7 million in federal taxes.
Lisa Rager, executive director of Visit Johnstown, says residents may be surprised to know that tourism is such a significant economic generator throughout Cambria County. “Tourism spending creates a ripple effect through the economy,” Rager says. “We’re fortunate that so many people from outside the area are coming here to visit our attractions, attend events, and enjoy the incredible outdoor recreation this area offers.”
Visit Johnstown recently launched its new website, VisitJohnstownPA.com, and the latest edition of the official Visitors Guide is published and available for distribution. Both the website and visitors guide are designed to enhance the experience of trip planning for visitors.
The website integrates the look and feel of the new brand and brand graphics and is more visually appealing. It features a user-friendly event calendar that allows visitors to filter events based on their interest. The event calendar also has the capability to receive event submissions that will be populated to the site upon review. The new site also provides increased flexibility for staff to update ever-changing content. The Visit Johnstown app mirrors the website for seamless integration. There is a new section dedicated to travel writers who are interested in visiting our area that details story ideas.
The 2024 edition of the visitor’s guide emphasizes a heavy focus on photography. The format of the guide reflects a similar layout to the website. An interactive, flip-through version of the guide is available on the Visit Johnstown website. The guide is distributed throughout the county, across the state at PA rest stops, and is the primary fulfillment piece for advertising leads and visitor information requests.
The launch of the new site and visitors guide aligns with Visit Johnstown’s mission to promote Cambria County as a tourism destination by offering high-quality and current information on attractions, recreation, events, and amenities. These tools are designed to support the local tourism industry and provide an exceptional experience for visitors.
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ABOUT US:
Visit Johnstown is Cambria County’s official tourism promotion agency that was established to promote travel to Cambria County; to serve as a leading advocate for programs and projects that will enhance Cambria County’s tourism industry; and to promote greater recognition of travel and tourism as a leading contributor to Cambria County’s economy and its quality of life.