HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To keep visitors coming to Pennsylvania by the millions, Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced the commonwealth has invested $8 million to help local and regional organizations market tourism attractions and promote the unique experiences available in the State of Independence.

"Even in a challenging economy, Pennsylvania recognizes the need to invest in our tourism industry because it generates more than $28 billion in economic impact - an amount greater than the recently enacted state budget," Governor Rendell said.

Pennsylvania is the fifth-most visited state, attracting more than 140 million visitors a year. More than 600,000 Pennsylvanians work in the tourism industry, drawing paychecks totaling $18 billion.

"We are committed to working with our partners to maximize Pennsylvania's promotion efforts, despite the economic downturn," said Mickey Rowley, deputy secretary for tourism. "While most industries are working with limited resources, including tourism, we embrace this challenge and are moving forward with innovative ways to promote Pennsylvania."

Pennsylvania invested $15.6 million in tourism promotion agencies this past year.

Under Act 50 of 2008, recognized tourism promotion agencies are awarded funding based on a formula that weighs the agency's eligible expenses, hotel room revenues, and an evaluation of the proposed use for the funding.

The law also provides funding for regional marketing partnership organizations in two categories: place- and experience-based. Place-based organizations work to promote a specific region of the state while experience-based organizations promote a unique experience or activity.

"We are going to collaborate more with our partners; increase Pennsylvania's presence in the social media universe; and go after cooperative advertising opportunities to bring more visitors to the commonwealth," said Rose Mape, executive director of the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Funding is to be used to create or expand new and innovative programs that complement the state's tourism promotion efforts, which may include advertising campaigns, public relations strategies, online marketing efforts, and Web site development.

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office, under the state Department of Community and Economic Development, is dedicated to inspiring travel to the State of Independence.

For more information, go to visitPA.com or call (800) VISIT PA; become a fan at facebook.com/visitPA; follow us at twitter.com/visitPA; share photos at flickr.com/visitPA; or watch us on youtube.com/visitPA. For a free subscription to Pursuits Magazine, go to visitPA.com/pursuits.

Media contacts:

Michael Chapaloney, Tourism Office, 717-720-1301

Gary Tuma, Governor's Office, 717-783-1116

Editor's Note: Listed below are the regional marketing partnership and tourism promotion agency grants that have been awarded for fiscal year 2009-10:

Regional Marketing Partnership place-based grants: $2,854,925:

• Pennsylvania Wilds, $90,000, a 12-county region that includes Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga and Warren counties.
• The Alleghenies, $200,000, an eight-county region that includes Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin counties.
• Laurel Highlands, $69,925, a three-county region that includes Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties.
• Dutch Country Roads, $425,000, a nine-county region that includes Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties.
• Philadelphia and the Countryside, $900,000, a five-county region that includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
• Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region, $150,000, a four-county region that includes Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Venango counties.
• Pittsburgh and its Countryside, $610,000, an eight-county region that includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence and Washington counties.
• Upstate PA, $290,000, a 11-county region that includes Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
• Valleys of the Susquehanna, $60,000, a five-county region that includes Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties.
• Lehigh Valley, $60,000, a two-county region encompassing Lehigh and Northampton counties.
  

Regional Marketing Partnership experience-based grants: $585,075:

• Pennsylvania Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, $100,000, to promote group and motorcoach tours.
• Pennsylvania Golf Course Owners Association, $75,000, for further promotion of playing golf in Pennsylvania.
• Ready, Set, Go, PA Sports, administered by the Pennsylvania Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, $175,000, for the sales and promotion of attracting sporting events to Pennsylvania.
• Pennsylvania Winery Association, $75,000, for promotion of Pennsylvania's wine trails.
• Pennsylvania Quest for Freedom, administered by the PA Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau, $100,000, for operation of the program.
• Pennsylvania Artisan Trails, administered by the Perry County Council of the Arts, $60,075, for operation of the program.
  

Tourism Promotion Assistance grants: $4,560,000:

Allegheny Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau - $66,878

Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau - $13,630

Armstrong County Tourist Bureau - $8,794

Beaver County Recreation and Tourism Department - $15,453

Bedford County Conference and Visitors Bureau -$23,825

Brandywine Conference and Visitors Bureau - $67,884

Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau - $148,294

Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau - $48,136

Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau - $94,096

Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau - $106,633

Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority - $18,929

Clinton County Economic Partnership -$11,861

Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau - $41,951

Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau - $12,004

Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau - $46,521

Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau - $25,422

Franklin County Visitors Bureau - $38,170

Fulton County Chamber of Commerce - $702

Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau - $59,498

Greater Johnstown/Cambria County CVB - $28,322

Greater Reading Convention and Visitors Bureau - $61,362

Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency -$5,586

Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau - $192,797

Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau - $17,509

Indiana County Tourist Bureau - $14,485

Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau (did not apply)

Lackawanna County Convention and Visitors Bureau - $60,405

Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau - $117,262

Lawrence County Tourist Promotion Agency - $6,673

Lebanon Valley Exposition Corporation (did not apply)

Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau Inc. - $160,113

Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau - $40,897

Lycoming County Visitors Bureau - $25,131

Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau - $35,128

Northwest Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors - $43,990

Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism - $9,538

Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau - $270,628

Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau - $1,106,590

Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau - $378,146

Potter County Visitors Association - $4,925

Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau - $14,273

Susquehanna River Valley - $46,425

Tioga County Visitors Bureau - $11,230

Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau - $267,542

VisitErie - $53,775

VisitPittsburgh - $580,632

Warren County Visitors Bureau - $7,276

Washington Tourism Promotion Agency - $46,718

York County Convention and Visitors Bureau - $103,963

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

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