Coronavirus Hits Pittsburgh's Tourism Industry
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Tourism in Pittsburgh is taking a big hit during the pandemic.
Three-hundred-thirty-one events, like conventions, booked through VisitPITTSBURGH, have been canceled. That translates into more than $157 million lost in direct visitor spending.
Few people are traveling far this summer, so VisitPITTSBURGH tourism promoters are pushing people in and around Pittsburgh to be tourists right here. They're marketing the city to people who live near Pittsburgh, as well as Cleveland, Erie, Harrisburg and other nearby cities.
Jerad Bachar, VisitPITTSBURGH CEO, says, "Travelers, overwhelmingly, are wanting to stay within a particular driving distance, and typically that's around two hours from wherever their home base is."
Tourism is a $6.4 billion industry in Allegheny County, but Bachar projects it will shrink to half that by the end of 2020. And of the 43,000 jobs, he estimates 24,000 could be gone permanently.
The pandemic is leading people to stay home.
"Those people are not coming right now," Bachar says, "so all of those businesses are just decimated. They're absolutely decimated."
Hotels in Allegheny County, alone, have lost $202 million in revenue since the pandemic.
But there is good news: hotel occupancy is up.
There's an average of 44% occupancy in Allegheny County now. Bachar says people are getting out of the house more, and every dollar spent helps.
"There's a lot of things that the local community can do, but these local businesses and attractions are going to be absolutely dependent on these local consumers."
The promotion also features a fun video showing that Pittsburgh is a dog-friendly city too, with Ace the Adventure dog ready to explore.
