Booming tourism business helping drive Pa. economy

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Pennsylvania’s tourism industry in 2022 produced the following:

• Generated $76.7 billion in economic impact. 
• Supported 486,871 jobs. 
• Contributed $4.7 billion in state and local taxes. 
• Welcomed 192.4 million visitors in 2022.

Tourism in Pennsylvania is a booming business.

According to a report from the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, the state’s tourism industry generated $76.7 billion in economic impact, supported 486,871 jobs, contributed $4.7 billion in state and local taxes, and welcomed 192.4 million visitors in 2022.

The 2022 Economic Impact of Travel and Tourism report provides state, regional, and county level estimates illustrating the importance of the travel industry to Pennsylvania’s economy.

“This report clearly shows that tourism is a significant economic driver in Pennsylvania that injects billions of dollars into our economy and helps to fund transportation, infrastructure, education, public safety programs and other vital services provided by the Commonwealth,” Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary of Tourism Carrie Fischer Lepore said in a statement.

“Each household in Pennsylvania would need to pay an additional $880 in taxes to replace the tax dollars generated by the tourism industry which were received by state and local governments in 2022. The Shapiro Administration realizes the crucial role that tourism plays in Pennsylvania’s economy, as evidenced by the proposed $15 million increase in funding in the 2024-25 budget proposal.”

Results of the report included the following:

• 192.4 million visitors, an increase of more than 12 million from 2021. 
• $76.7 billion in total economic impact. 
• $4.7 billion in state and local taxes. 
• 486,871 jobs supported, which equates to 1-in-16 jobs in the state. 
• A $7.5 billion increase in direct visitor spending to reach $45.4 billion – including hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other tourism related businesses.

Visitor spending supports jobs, income, and business sales, and produced $9.6 billion in government revenues. State and local taxes tallied $4.65 billion in 2022, an increase of $458 million from 2021.

Overnight visitor spending increased by $4.8 billion, with more than 66 million trips resulting in $28 billion in spending. Overnight visitors spent $419 per person, representing a $31 increase from 2021. Spending on day trips grew to $17.3 billion.

The Economic Impact of Travel and Tourism report is compiled at the Pennsylvania Tourism Office at DCED with information provided by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company based in Wayne, with data supplied by Longwoods International and STR.