Strategy Description:

Tourism can play a role in diversifying the economy of the region. As one of the fastest growing industries in the world, it cannot be ignored as a generator of economic activity.

The region has significant tourism resources, and a promotional effort is already in place. However, there are opportunities for broader development of resources and attractions, particularly those related to culture, history, and outdoor recreation. The tourism infrastructure has not been developed to its fullest potential, including the development and interpretation of products and the marketing of those products. An additional goal should be to get tourists "out of their cars and onto the streets" to both enjoy the region and to create economic benefits.

Key Components:

The strategy for economic diversification should include some or all of the following concepts in order to attract new visitors, lengthen the stays of existing visitors and promote the development of new small businesses to support the tourism industry:

• Develop and expand the heritage and cultural tourism market.

• Endorse the current efforts of the Centre County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CCCVB) to create a Cultural and Historical Committee. Develop the initial steps to success and monitor and promote future phases of this effort.

• Consider the best options to work with the appropriate partners to assure the benefits from Bellefonte’s designation as a gateway to the state designated "Lumber Heritage" region and to assure continued success.

• Work closely with entities that are "packaging" tours and events for the region to include heritage and cultural sites and venues.

• Expand and upgrade existing sites. They are generally under-promoted, under-leveraged and under-protected.

• Identify, analyze, and prioritize current sites, their needs and their benefit to the overall program. Sites related to industrial heritage may take priority and would include the Scotia area, Curtin Valley, the iron foundry, and related lumber sites.
• Explore options for assistance to upgrade sites including advocacy for the appropriate local, state, or national protection measures.
• Create a marketing and promotion strategy for individual sites and for a regional campaign. "Packaging" sites will continue to be critical to success.
• Work closely with state agencies to provide support for high priority sites and to create the appropriate collateral materials, or include the sites in existing state or regional materials.
• Work closely with existing regional tourism entities to create broader support. The region is currently a part of both the "Valleys of the Susquehanna" and the "Southern Alleghenies Regional Tourism Confederation."
• Use local resources to strengthen the heritage package such as Lincoln Highway and National Road which are federal projects and multi-jurisdictional in scope as a model or resource, Randy Cooley’s current group and Jane Sheffield in Blair Co (Allegheny Ridge Corp and heritage parks).

• Develop more retail opportunities in the form of outlets and specialty stores.

In particular, retail development related to crafts and antiques, historic/knowledge themes, and sports/outdoor recreation would be appropriate. Discourage the development of outlet malls; rather focus retail activities to existing commercial districts. Site opportunities for retail development include former industrial buildings and historic districts. Work closely with successful groups such as State College DID and the Boalsburg Village Association to mentor new commercial enhancement groups.
 
• Develop links to the natural resources for tourism potential.

• Understand and support the role of cross county or cross region hiking and biking trails, Rails to trails, and greenway projects. Greenways and trails should be viewed as economic development tools. They tie the region together and create a network of access points. These points could be parks, museums, or main streets. Ideas should be linked to both a strategy for Eco or Natural Tourism and to the Open Lands Prioritization and Management Strategy.

• Explore an increased role for DEP in this strategy. How can the region best use/change the DEP regional maps to serve the area? How can the region link with the larger region?

• Create new links with the planned Arboretum at Penn State, which may be a new tourist draw.

• Continue to update information and entities related to tourism – the tourists, the sites and the service industry that supports it.

It will be necessary to continually update information to stay on top of this growing industry. Current events will change markets and tourists attitudes. New facilities will impact trends and opportunities.
 
• Distribute new data to all parties and incorporate the information into future plans. For example, the CCCVB and Penn State are working to prepare a new (1^st time) comprehensive, county-wide assessment of the area. It will reflect "what we don’t have, but need" to recruit new events or tourists to the area.

• Recognize the new Sports Commission. Its role will be to identify, coordinate and aggressively market to new events that will fill the "voids" in the current calendar. These will be large events that will use multiple facilities. It will include baseline data to help coordinate events to avoid overlapping events. The room tax will help to fund the Commission and the CCCVB will function as the housing bureau. In this case, the goal is to better use what is currently in place.

• Continue to survey visitors, particularly those coming to Penn State, to determine the types of attractions that could be developed to lengthen tourists’ stay in the area.

• Expand international marketing.

Current international travelers are business or University related. This element might create a starting point for future efforts. This element could be developed during the 20 year vision as appropriate.

The strategy has broad application in urban and rural areas across the region. This strategy is closely linked with Strategy 13: Open Lands Prioritization and Management.

Implementation:

The Centre County Visitors and Convention Bureau now leads the tourism development effort for the county and is working to enhance the heritage component of its efforts. It could expand its role in this effort by creating a special committee for regional marketing or other special needs as appropriate, or it might serve as the convenor in the future to address new issues. From time to time new alliances or collaborations may be needed.

Indicators:

The key indicators of progress in this area would include the following:

• Number of visitors in general or at specific sites
• Hotel occupancy
• Spending on food, accommodations and traveler services
• Number of jobs created in tourism services
• Average wage of new jobs
• Business start-ups in tourism and recreation
• Investments in business expansion
• Fiscal impact: town and county
• Household income
• New grants for specific tourism venues
• New interpretive programs or packages

Funding sources could include hotel/motel tax, local sharing, grants, and the Commonwealth. Some efforts will not require direct funding. Programs can be enriched by in-kind services, mentoring or advocacy.