On Thursday evening, the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau (BCTCB) made a valuable investment in 28 Butler County travel and tourism businesses and organizations.

The BCTCB awarded twice what it had given in previous years to the largest group ever at its Toast to Tourism Dinner with the intention to increase visitation and overnight stays in Butler County.

And if ever there was a time to invest in tourism, the time is now.

Tourism was a $46 billion industry in Pennsylvania in 2019, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office’s Economic Impact of Pennsylvania’s Travel and Tourism Industry report. An estimated 211 million people visited our state in 2019.

That dropped off significantly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Visits decreased, and those who did visit spent less. An estimated 152 million travelers spent only $29 billion in Pennsylvania in 2020.

But even in 2020, the economic value of tourism is clear. The annual report shows travel and tourism generated $3.6 billion in state and local taxes and supported one in eight jobs.

The 2021 statewide report was unavailable as of Friday morning, but we can hope — that with greater awareness around COVID-19, its risks and relevant precautions — that tourism is again on the rise.

The $100,000 awarded Thursday night will valuable in helping Butler County improve its allure to tourists. Ultimately, as tourism rises across the state again, Butler County’s economy will benefit above and beyond this investment in our business community.

And besides that, the investments improve Butler County for residents, too.

Thank you to the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau for this investment. We look forward to seeing the good things to come from these 28 grant recipients.

— TL