Pennsylvania Gets $17M In Federal Money To Promote Statewide Tourism

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday announced that the state will receive slightly more than $17 million to promote tourism.

The governor's office issued a statement to media outlining how it plans to spend the money, including "$10 million to dramatically increase the PA Tourism Cooperative Marketing Advertising Program in 2022 and 2023 to create advertising opportunities for destination marketing organizations and industry associations by matching or possibly doubling their investment."

The statement said the state plans to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in "marketing, messaging and product development" aimed at attracting visitors and new residents to Pennsylvania.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the commonwealth to make transformative investments that will have a lasting impact on travel and tourism industry now and for decades to come," . Wolf said in the statement. "We know through research that inviting those to travel to and around Pennsylvania through tourism marketing and advertising in the short term will be the shot in the arm this industry so desperately needs."

To be exact, the state will receive $17,086,197 in grant money, part of a $510 million nationwide package led by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration's Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program.