BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Flight cancellations and travel delays dominated the headlines this year, but plenty of people still found a way to visit the Lehigh Valley.
The region remained first in hotel occupancy rates across the state, according to 2021-22 Smith Travel Research. The news was shared Tuesday during Discover Lehigh Valley’s Board of Directors Breakfast and Annual Report.
- The Lehigh Valley was tops in the state in hotel occupancy, according to 2021-22 Smith Travel Research.
- Visitors to Lehigh and Northampton counties reached 16.1 million
- Visitor spending topped $1 billon
“The signs show that travel is back and stronger than ever and we're looking forward to another record-setting year welcoming more visitors to the region,” Alex Michaels, president for Discover Lehigh Valley, said in a news release.
Data showed overnight visitors to Lehigh and Northampton counties reached 16.1 million, up 29% from 2020, with total visitor spending topping $1 billion. That included an average daily rate of $113.26 per room, peaking in June -– the end of the fiscal year -– at $127.
“As travel restrictions lifted, potential visitors from our key markets of New York, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia metros sought experiences and connection through travel again in drivable destinations,” said Alicia Quinn, Discover Lehigh Valley's vice president of marketing & strategic alliances.
As the valley’s hospitality industry continued its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the area was a big draw because of its open space, agritourism, festivals, sporting events and more, Quinn said.
The numbers for the year don’t include Bethlehem’s Musikfest, which set an attendance record over the summer by drawing 1.24 million people (besting the old mark of 1.2 million in 2019). But the report did include visitors from the Pennsylvania Bus Association Annual Meeting (Oct. 24-26, 2021), The Greater New Jersey Motorcoach and Maryland Motorcoach Association Meeting (March 14, 2022) and the US. Senior Open (June 23-26, 2022).
The Lehigh Valley also played host to a pair of National Track Championship Cycling events, two Easton Twilight Criterium bike races and the inaugural Hincapie Gran Fondo, a long-distance road cycling event. It added up to 2,000 cyclists visiting the area, and exceeded 17,000 booked hotel room nights, the report said.
Looking to the future, Discover Lehigh Valley said it will adapt its tourism ambassador program by moving it completely online, while offering certification at no cost. Participants can learn about events, activities and attractions in and around the area in order to enhance the visitor experience.
In the coming weeks, the big draw to the valley will be Bethlehem’s kickoff of the Christmas City holiday season. It will include horse-drawn carriage rides, a holiday putz trail, outdoor shopping in the Christmas City village on Main Street, and much more.
Christkindlmarkt also is gearing up for its 30th year in Bethlehem. The German-styled holiday market had a near-record attendance of more than 93,500 guests in 2021.
