NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
COMPREHENSIVE CITY TOURISM STUDY AND MASTER PLAN NOW COMPLETEDMayor Stephen R. Reed and officials from the National Trust for Historic Preservation today unveiled the city’s new comprehensive Tourism Plan, which outlines an extensive array of tourism product, visitor service and marketing recommendations for the city. The Study is the result of nearly 18 months of effort by the city and the National Trust. Reed commissioned the comprehensive study in 2004, and appointed a volunteer city Tourism Commission to help oversee the rigorous process, which is intended to help further define and develop tourism activities in the city and enhance the city’s tourism marketing efforts. Tourism is Pennsylvania’s second largest industry and has become a major economic development contributor to Harrisburg’s economy, which today draws in excess of 3 million people a year to special and cultural events, attractions, restaurants and more. The Mayor said there were four specific goals for the study: (1) determine the feasibility of ideas offered through a public input process and from tourism professionals and consultants; (2) link heritage tourism initiatives to the broader economic development of the city and to create synergy between tourism, tourism- related facilities and other local business, residents and jobs; (3) identify timelines and goals for enhancing, expanding and marketing the city’s tourism product and (4) establish ways and means to achieve the goals. “The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the city Tourism Commission have produced a magnificent plan that fulfills our expectations,” said the Mayor. “The National Trust has a nationally-renowned reputation for quality and excellence in these types of endeavors, and they have certainly reinforced that well earned distinction with this comprehensive study. We extend our appreciation and thanks to both the project team members from the National Trust, as well as the many volunteers on the city Tourism Commission, which has been very capably led by noted midstate advertising agency owner and entrepreneur Steve Nieman.” Reed said the Tourism Study, for which the National Trust was paid $192,540, is divided into 9 major sections that included a Situation Analysis, Tourism Product Recommendations, Visitor Services Recommendations, Marketing Recommendations, Organization Structure and Communications, Tourism Tax Increase, Economic Impact, Implementation Timeline and Cost Estimates. Project team members conducted an extensive series of tourism industry visitations, interviews and tours, public input meetings, widely distributed visitor surveys and more to accomplish the end product of the Tourism Study. Among the highlighted recommendations contained in the Study are: o Create a Harrisburg Heritage Trail, similar to the city’s existing Center City and Citywide Walking Tours, focusing upon heritage and historical attractions; o Establish a Harrisburg Heritage Center to serve as a focal and beginning point for the Heritage Trail o Develop Audiotours for the Heritage Trail Tour, and develop a separate tour itinerary of the city’s many National Register of Historic Places sites o Proceed with plans for the National African American Heritage Center, The Pennsylvania National Sports Hall of Fame, and develop a national traveling exhibit of Old West artifacts to build support for the proposed National Museum of the Old West; o Encourage development of more bed and breakfast inns and more hotels; o Expand the downtown Visitors Center, operated by the Downtown Improvement District o Develop a tourism transportation plan, which includes parking, public transportation, driving tours, Interstate signage and more; o Enhance and develop group tour and travel efforts, to bring more bus and similar group tours to the city o Increase Hotel room taxes by 1%, with the proceeds to be strictly earmarked for tourism marketing o Develop a brand for the city, separate and distinct from the region’s Big 3 existing markets of Hershey, Gettysburg and the Lancaster Dutch Country; o Strengthen and expand the newly formed Harrisburg Museum Network, which was established by the Mayor in 2004, and as an adjunct to it create a Harrisburg Attractions Network to jointly undertake marketing, bulk purchasing and other services. The Mayor said there were many more recommendations and suggestions included in the study that city officials will now review and determine implementation capabilities. The Study calls for the expenditure of nearly $340,000 in the first year of implementation, which will have to be substantially scaled back due to financial constraints. The passage of an additional 1% in room taxes would generate additional revenue for marketing purposes. “This is a very detailed and well-conceived tourism ‘road map’,” said the Mayor, “which will guide us in our tourism planning efforts for many years to come. Most of the recommendations have some cost to them for which no budgeted funds currently exist, though with the revenues from an additional 1% room tax we could immediately begin to implement the entire plan.” Amongst the funding recommendations are the establishment of three new full time positions dedicated solely to tourism, including the new post of a City Tourism Director, and two marketing positions with the existing Hershey- Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau. Reed said the city will be able to implement some of the Study recommendations with little to no cost, and planning efforts on those items will get underway immediately. One of the first tasks to be undertaken will be to establish a city tourism “brand”, which will be used for all aspects of marketing and promotion. |
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