The impact of tourism in adams county
In Adams County, Pa., all residents and businesses rely on tourism. It’s an industry that had far-reaching and wide range effects on the every community – but especially here in the Gettysburg area.
Take the $725.9 million that comes into the county through the spending of our visitors. That money is going into the hands of local businesses, who – in turn – pay their employees – who then make their own purchases and hire the services of others because of that money, because of those visitors.
Take the $725.9 million that comes into the county through the spending of our visitors. That money is going into the hands of local businesses, who – in turn – pay their employees – who then make their own purchases and hire the services of others because of that money, because of those visitors.
Or look at the $130 million in tax revenue generated by the visitors to Adams County. Visitors pay lodging taxes when they stay overnight, amusement taxes when they purchase tickets to a tour or attraction, fuel taxes when they gas up their automobile in town, and the millions in sales taxes on their purchases in Adams County – everything from hotel rooms to restaurant bills and souvenirs.
A study by Tourism Economics through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development measures the economic value of tourism in each of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The most recent year available is 2017.
In Adams County, the study broke down the spending as follows:
Lodging $97.6 million
Food and Beverage $148.4 million
Shopping $130.1 million
Recreation 174.6 million
Transportation $175.2 million
For more on tourism research of Adams County, click here.
Tourism also provides communities and local governments with a variety of secondary tax revenue – including property taxes from tourism-related businesses, income taxes by tourism-related employees, as well as a variety of business permits and fees.
In fact, five of the top seven property tax owners in the Borough of Gettysburg and two of the top five in Adams County are tourism businesses. Without those businesses, local governments would be short the tens of thousands of dollars paid to them annually.
The Pennsylvania Association of Travel & Tourism reports that, in Pennsylvania, the average homeowner would pay an additional $835 in taxes annually, if not for the benefits of tourism.
Additionally, tourism supports a workforce of 5,272 – a number that includes both direct and indirect employees. Wages to those employees are more than $287 million. As importantly, those employees – because of that $287 million – are able to support the economy through their own spending.
Jobs in the tourism industry include both full and part-time, front-line and behind-the-scenes positions, as well as entry-level and managerial jobs. For more on the tourism workforce in Adams County, click here.
Tourism is big business in Adams County. It’s an industry that brings tremendous opportunity for businesses, residents and local governments.
A study by Tourism Economics through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development measures the economic value of tourism in each of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The most recent year available is 2017.
In Adams County, the study broke down the spending as follows:
Lodging $97.6 million
Food and Beverage $148.4 million
Shopping $130.1 million
Recreation 174.6 million
Transportation $175.2 million
For more on tourism research of Adams County, click here.
Tourism also provides communities and local governments with a variety of secondary tax revenue – including property taxes from tourism-related businesses, income taxes by tourism-related employees, as well as a variety of business permits and fees.
In fact, five of the top seven property tax owners in the Borough of Gettysburg and two of the top five in Adams County are tourism businesses. Without those businesses, local governments would be short the tens of thousands of dollars paid to them annually.
The Pennsylvania Association of Travel & Tourism reports that, in Pennsylvania, the average homeowner would pay an additional $835 in taxes annually, if not for the benefits of tourism.
Additionally, tourism supports a workforce of 5,272 – a number that includes both direct and indirect employees. Wages to those employees are more than $287 million. As importantly, those employees – because of that $287 million – are able to support the economy through their own spending.
Jobs in the tourism industry include both full and part-time, front-line and behind-the-scenes positions, as well as entry-level and managerial jobs. For more on the tourism workforce in Adams County, click here.
Tourism is big business in Adams County. It’s an industry that brings tremendous opportunity for businesses, residents and local governments.