York County has landed a statewide bus operators’ convention for 2018 and 2019 that local convention officials hope will generate about $1 million in economic benefits during its two-year run.
The Pennsylvania Bus Association chose York for its annual “Marketplace” convention on March 27-28, 2018, and then again March 26-27, 2019, York County tourism leaders announced Tuesday.
The York ExpoCenter will play host to both conventions. York last hosted the event in 2006.
The convention will provide key business-to-business marketing opportunities for local attractions looking to build upon their existing group tour customer base, and expects to bring in more than 1,000 group tour leaders, York County Convention & Visitors Bureau officials said.
“This is valuable exposure for York County” and its local attractions like its farmers markets, historical sites and factory tour locations, said Patrick Bourque, bureau sales manager for the York County CVB.
John Bailey, who owns Bailey Trailways in York, is chairman of the Pennsylvania Bus Association.
“You just don’t get these opportunities every day of the week to have so many bus companies and group leaders come visit your community at the same time,” Bailey said.
In York County tourism numbers annually, visitors spend more than $923 million a year, and, according to the visitors bureau, tourism supported 7,637 jobs in 2014.
The motorcoach tour and travel industry supports more than 60,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, pumps more than $7 billion into the economy and generates more than $416 million in tax revenue for the state, the bureau also noted.
