BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Pennsylvania saw 201.6 million visitors, generating $49.9 billion in visitor spending and $83.9 billion in economic impact in 2024, according to a Pennsylvania Tourism Office report released Tuesday.
The number of visitors and nearly $50 billion in spending were an increase of 2.5% and 4.2% over the prior year, respectively, supporting more than 514,000 jobs and contributing $5 billion in state and local taxes, according to the report.
“The data showcased in this report indicates that Pennsylvania is outpacing the national average for growth in the tourism sector.”State Deputy Secretary for Tourism Anne Ryan
“Here in Pennsylvania, we have it all — top tier sports and events, award-winning restaurants, incredible hikes and state parks, and the most important historic sites in the country that tell the story of our shared history,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said in the release.
Shapiro noted that 72 million people live within a four-hour drive of Pennsylvania, making tourism a top priority for his administration to help “grow small businesses, support our communities, and create real opportunity for more Pennsylvanians.”
Key highlights of the report included the fact that out of 514,261 jobs, tourism supported 1-in-16 in the state, including nearly 133,000 in the food and beverage industry.
“The data showcased in this report indicates that Pennsylvania is outpacing the national average for growth in the tourism sector,” state Deputy Secretary for Tourism Anne Ryan said.
Lehigh Valley visitor spending
In the Lehigh Valley, visitor spending increased 1.5%, the report said, generating just over $2.5 billion.
Recreation was the top economic generator, accounting for $775 million, or an increase of 6.5%. It was followed by food and beverage at $548.6 million, or an increase of 1.7%.
Recreation encompasses all visitor spending within the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors, according to the methodology for the report, while food and beverage includes all spending at restaurants, bars, grocery stores and other food providers.
Nearly $502 million in recreation spending came from Northampton County alone.
Transportation ($596.2 million, down 2.3%) and retail ($363.8 million, down 1.3%) saw declines in visitor spending, while lodging saw a slight increase at $246.3 million, or a change of 0.3%.
Local economic impact
The area’s visitor economy saw increases across the board, as diverse as total business sales and labor income.
Total impacts included $4.3 million, or a 2.4% increase, in total business sales, and $1.4 million in labor income, or an increase of 4.1%.
State taxes contributed $256.9 million, a 3% increase, and federal taxes contributed $290.1 million, a 3.7% increase.
Overall, total visitor-supported employment and labor income, including indirect and induced impacts, made up 8.1% and 6.6%, respectively, of total jobs and wages in the Lehigh Valley, the report said.
For methodology, a visitor was defined as someone who stayed overnight or traveled more than 50 miles to their destination, and the study area was defined as all of Pennsylvania.
The report was compiled at the Pennsylvania Tourism Office with information provided by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company based in Wayne, with data supplied by Longwoods International.
Looking ahead, Pennsylvania will be heavily focused on the 250th anniversary of the nation next year.
It also will be host for major events, including NCAA’s March Madness men’s basketball tournament, the FIFA World Cup and MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia, along with the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square and the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
