tuscarora area chamber of commerce · tim howley were joined wednesday november 12th by mercersburg...

T U S C A R O R A A R E A C H A M B E R O F C OMM E R C E

Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce

3 South Main Street, PO Box 161 • Mercersburg, PA 17236

www.tachamber.org • Phone 717-328-5827

Chamber Breakfast

December 11, 2014

Whitetail Golf Resort

$25 7:15-9am

RSVP 328-5827

Chamber Mixer

December 16, 2014 4-6pm

First National Bank of Mercersburg

Free

RSVP 328-5827

D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 4

LegacyLegacyLegacyLegacy Realty Realty Realty Realty agents (L to R) Shelly Moats, Sandra Garner, Mike West and

Tim Howley were joined Wednesday November 12th by Mercersburg Mayor

Jim Zeger, Nancy Bull of Congressman Shuster's office and Tuscarora Chamber

Board members Gloria Pine, Barb Danowski, Judy Boyd with Executive Direc-

tor Mary-Anne Gordon to cut the ribbon for their new 19 North Main St. Mer-

cersburg office. Office hours are Monday-Friday 12-5pm.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCEMercersburg, Montgomery, Peters, St. Thomas, Warren

Tuscarora Area

Director’s Message

Dear Prospective Mock Interviewers,

The Tuscarora Area Chamber of Com-

merce has again partnered with the Tus-

carora School District to provide mock interviews as part of “Flexible Learn-

ing Opportunities”, a career-focused course and graduation require-

ment. The mock interviews are an effort to expose students to real life sce-

narios and the world of work. Mock interviews will be held Monday January

12, 2015, 8:10-11:45 a.m. at James Buchanan High School.

Here's How it WorksHere's How it WorksHere's How it WorksHere's How it Works

Each interviewer is set up at a table in the JBHS Library. The teacher gives

you resumes and applications. You will review them then call the appropri-

ate student in for the interview. You will be given sample interview ques-

tions, but are free to improvise and will be interviewing the student for ap-

proximately 10-15 minutes. Upon completion of the interview portion,

you'll review the Evaluation Form with the student and offer suggestions on

eye contact, presentation, completion of the application, etc. Please write this

feedback in the comments section. The student will turn the Evaluation

Form, resume and cover letter into the teacher following this interview.

Why should you be a Mock Interviewer?Why should you be a Mock Interviewer?Why should you be a Mock Interviewer?Why should you be a Mock Interviewer?

These students are your next best employees and this process helps them

prepare themselves for the world of work. For a very small commitment of

your time and energy, you will receive huge rewards and be delighted at the

caliber of the students in our school.

How Do You Get Involved?How Do You Get Involved?How Do You Get Involved?How Do You Get Involved?

Simply return the sign up form included in this newsletter or contact Exec.

Director Mary-Anne Gordon, 328-5827 [email protected].

Respectfully,

Mary-Anne Gordon

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Board Members

Chair

Tammy Oberholzer

The Rotary Club of Mercersburg

Vice-Chair

John Flannery

Flannery’s Tavern of the Square

Treasurer

Travis Hall

Alliance Elevator

Secretary

Judy Boyd

Whitetail Resort

Board Members

Barb Danowski

Fast Ink

Elizabeth George, MD

Summit Health

Dwayne Johnson

St. Thomas Development

Gloria Pine

Buchanan Lioness

Debbie Rutherford

Mercersburg Academy

Chris Shelley

Tuscarora School District

Annalisa Ambrisco

The First National Bank of Mercersburg

Staff

Executive Director

Mary-Anne Gordon

The Chamber News is a monthly newsletter of

the Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce.

Submit your information by the 23rd of each

month for inclusion. The Chamber reserves the

right to edit content of submissions for space

limitations. Ideas, opinions and statements

expressed in articles by contributors are not

necessarily those of the Chamber.


Opening Board Nominations

to Members

The Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominees

interested in running for an available board of directors’ seat for

the 2015 – 2017 term. Board members serve three-year terms and

are eligible for two additional terms following.

Through various member benefits, programs, services, and events,

executive director Mary-Anne Gordon strives to make the organi-

zation one that facilitates growth opportunities for all businesses in

the greater Tuscarora area. To best serve the local business commu-

nity, Ms. Gordon and the board of directors encourage individuals

from a broad range of member organizations to consider running

for office to ensure representation for all facets of area commerce.

Chamber board member commitments include participation in a

monthly meeting the first Friday of every other month 7:30-9am, as

well as providing input and hands-on support for a slate of recog-

nition, networking, and fundraising events. The chamber relies on

the efforts of volunteer board members and ambassadors to ac-

complish its work on behalf of membership. The experience is a

deeply rewarding one for those committed to the continuous im-

provement of the local business climate and expansion of various

opportunities for organizations and entrepreneurs.

Nominations will be accepted via email [email protected] or

mail PO Box 161 Mercersburg, PA 17236 until January 15, 2012.

When submitting a nomination please include a brief explanation

of why the nominee (yourself or someone you are nominating) is

interested in serving on the board. Any chamber member or em-

ployee of a chamber member is eligible for nomination. Call 717-

328-5827 for more information.

Annual Christmas

Open House at

The Conococheague Institute

The Conococheague Institute will hold its Annual

Christmas Open House on Saturday, December

13, 2014 from 1 PM to 4 PM. The Living History

event will take place at The Conococheague Insti-

tute’s 30-acre site at 12995 Bain Rd in Mercers-

burg, PA.

The Annual Christmas Open House will feature

18th century reenactors, craft demonstrations,

tours of historic houses decorated for the holi-

days, and the sale of locally made handcrafts,

wooden toys, books by local authors, and unique

gift items. There will also be colonial games for

children hosted by Miller’s Early American

Games. Refreshments will be available.

Five trees located throughout the site will be deco-

rated in hand-made ornaments using natural ob-

jects grown and harvested by local students within

The Conococheague Institute’s farmstead.

The Annual Christmas Open House at The Cono-

cocheague Institute is free and open to the public.

For further information, call 717-328-3467 or

email [email protected]. Check www.cimlg.org/

visit.html for the full calendar of events.

The Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce's Christmas Tree was deliv-

ered to 3 South Main Street Mercersburg by Hunter Webster, President

of East Coast Green. Mr. Webster donated his %me, equipment and labor

to cut the tree, deliver, stand up and decorate. Luke Hammond of P&H

Flooring assisted in the cu,ng, delivery and set up of the tree Friday. Kyle

Burde/e of Burde/e Ironworks built the sturdy tree stand, assisted with

set up Friday and returned Saturday to decorate the tree with Mr. Web-

ster and TACC execu%ve director Mary-Anne Gordon.

Manager's Corner™: Delegate Doesn't Mean Abdicate by Liz Weber, CMC, CSP

I am a huge proponent of delegating. I push my clients and audience members to develop their staffs by providing them with opportunities and challenges to help them learn, leverage their innate talents, and hone new skills. However, I am not a fan of leaders ignoring their responsibilities when they delegate tasks to others. That's abdicating. That's not delegating. Any manager who has attended a leadership workshop or read a book on supervision knows: Effective managers delegate. Managers who know this concept also know when they delegate work to their staffs, they should also transfer the authority to get

the delegated tasks done. By doing this, managers are minimizing many of the roadblocks their staffs will run into as they work on the delegated tasks. By having the authority to take the necessary actions and acquire the necessary resources to get the work done, the employees can do the work they've been tasked to do. Perfect! So why is it that a good number of seasoned managers incorrectly believe they've delegated their leadership responsibilities when they have delegated the authority to do the work? Why do so many managers believe once they delegate it, they can forget it? Again, that's abdicating. That's not delegating. A manager recently shared with me, "My biggest issue is our absentee President/CEO. He's proud of himself because he 'delegates.' He's away attending conferences, seminars, or is on vacation at least one week a month. When he's here, he stays within the executive suite. He doesn't communicate with much of the staff and he rarely acknowledges staff from our branches and other offices. Because of this, he ignores our workflow issues, management challenges, and the myriad of other headaches we face. His new dog is doing well in the dog show circuit though..." Delegating is moving work out to others on your team who should or could do the work given their positions, skill sets, availability, etc. It's leveraging the talent and production capabilities of your team and team members. However, to truly delegate, leaders need to take responsibility for clearing lingering roadblocks so the work can get done. Leaders need to continually take the pulse of the organization to identify where adjustments need to be made to enable the employees to do their tasks even more effectively. Leaders need to stay engaged. So how do you stay engaged as a leader? Communicate with all levels of employees to gauge the ease of communication they experience within their work worlds. Communicate with all levels of employees to clarify challenges they face in completing their tasks. Physically visit every facility, department, or branch regularly to again, connect with staff, but also to gauge the physical surroundings your team members work within and utilize. Assess the culture of each location to ensure it is consistent with the values and brand of your organization. Then, as the leader, fulfill your responsibility to address the issues, clear the roadblocks, and ensure your team can perform. As the leader, you must delegate tasks to others. You cannot and should not do all the work yourself. However, as the leader, you need to retain the responsibility to create and maintain a work environment for your team to do the work being asked of them. You need to delegate. You cannot abdicate.

Copyright MMXIV - Liz Weber, CMC, CSP* - Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com * Liz is one of only 13 people in the U.S. to hold both the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and Certified Management

Consultant (CMC) designations; the highest earned designations in two different professions.

http://www.wbsllc.com/


3 South Main Street PO Box 161, Mercersburg, PA 17236

2015 Board of Directors Prospect Application

Please return this completed and signed application to [email protected] by Monday, January 5,

2015 for consideration.

Date ______________________________

Name ___________________________________________________________

First MI Last Familiar name

Residence

Address ___________________________________________________________

Phone ______________________________ E-mail ________________________

Employer

Name ____________________________________________________________

Your title _________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________

Phone ______________________________ E-mail ________________________

Type of business or organization ________________________________________

Primary service(s) and area/population served _______________________________

Preferred method of contact ( ) Work ( ) Residence

Employers Signature of Approval of Your Nomination

Name _____________________________________________________________

Title ________________________________ Phone _________________________

Please list boards and committees that you serve on, or have served on.

Organization Role/Title Dates of Service

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Optional – Education/Training/Certificates

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Optional – Have you received any awards or honors that you’d like to mention?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

How do you feel TACC would benefit from your involvement on the Board?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Skills, experience and interests (Please circle all that apply)

Nonprofit experience

Community service

Public relations, communications

Education, instruction

Special events

Grant writing

Fundraising

Outreach, advocacy

Other _______________________

Other _______________________

Other _______________________

Please list any groups, organizations or businesses that you could serve as a liaison to on behalf

of TACC.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Please tell us anything else you’d like to share.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Thank you very much for applying

Mock Interview Participant Agreement I, _______________________________, agree to participate in the mock interview session sponsored by the Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce at James Buchanan High School on Monday January 12, 2015. In conducting the mock interview I understand that my role is to provide the students with an opportunity to practice interviewing skills. I will treat the student with respect and refrain from discriminatory or offensive expressions or conduct. I will follow the suggested interview questions and provide a critique that is objective and constructive for the student. Any issues of concern or discipline will be addressed to the student's instructor. We ask that you arrive by 8:10am to avoid the student and bus traffic; interviews will start at 8:30 and finish by 11:45 at the latest. Refreshments will be available all morning. Please park in the front lot of the high school. All visitors must enter and check in at the front office. We will have a greeter there to welcome and assist you in navigating the school.

8:10am – 11:45am ________ 8 volunteers needed

__________________________________________ _______________ Agreed Name (Sign) Date

___________________________________________________________

Agreed Name (Print)

SPAGHETTI DINNER

Silent Auction

To benefit a local family who lost their barn and business

in the recent fires

DECEMBER 12

4-8pm

Two Top Ruritan

12270 Two Top Rd, Mercersburg

Silent auction (will close at 7:30)

Need not be present to win

Bake Sale

Kids Corner

(games and face painting)

$$ By Donation $$

The Tuscarora Wildlife Education Project and the Charles

Brightbill Environmental Center have been approved

again this year as an organization that can receive

contributions from businesses through Educational

Improvement Tax Credits. Area businesses can visit

http://www.newpa.com to learn more about how to apply

to the list and direct a donation to TWEP. A donation can benefit your business, as tax

credits may be applied against the tax liability of a business for the tax year in which the

contribution was made. Donations will help TWEP continue to provide “one of a kind”

learning opportunities for public and private school visitors, home school groups, area

long-term care residents, and many others.

The Charles Brightbill Environmental Center is located in Mercersburg, on the

campus of the James Buchanan High School. TWEP is a non-profit 501c-3

organization. It is not financially supported by the school district.

TWEP has begun a major expansion and is looking to the community for support.

Donations are welcome and do not have to come through EITC.

Your business is also invited to schedule a date for your company to have a

special visitation just for your employees and their families. Simply call the

Center and make arrangements with TWEP director, Sheila Snider.

Visit TWEP’s website at www.twep.org to see more about this organization and

what it does.

Charles Brightbill Environmental Center

P.O. Box 97, 4881 Fort Loudon Road

Mercersburg, PA 17236

717 328-2126 or email [email protected]

The Fendrick Library in Mercersburg welcomes

Judy Walter for a Book Signing

Friday December 5th from 3:00 -6:00!

Judy S. Walter

Judy’s new book, Life With Mitzi: From Adoption to Everyday Antics appeals to children and cat lovers of all ages!

Many of you have enjoyed the first two books in the series, Sammy The Talking Cat and The Grey and White Stranger.

A graduate of Shippensburg State College, Judy S. Walter is a retired high school English teacher from Chambersburg, PA. Her first published works were poems in the 1970's. Her next several books were health related.

Walter's book, Nightmare In Europe is an outgrowth of one of her teaching units and also a lifelong interest in World War II and the Holocaust. During her life, Walter has met a number of Holocaust survivors and wrote her book in their honor.

Remember books make great gifts!

Help fund Habitat for Humanity in our community by donating items and shopping at the Habitat ReStore. Your tax-deductible

donations help build affordable homes for those in need as we work toward our mission to eliminate substandard housing

in Franklin County, PA. Anyone can donate their new or gently-used items and can shop at the ReStore. Donations may

be dropped off during regular store hours, with pick-up services available for items too large to transport.

Sh

op

Do

nate V

olu

nteer

Yes, please!• Appliances• Architectural items• Brick• Cabinets/countertops• Doors• Flooring – new• Furniture• Hardware• Home Décor• Insulation – new• Lighting• Masonry• Plumbing• Tools• Windows• Wood – at least 4 ft.

No, thanks!• Unframed glass/

mirror• Clothing• Computers• Drapes• Fluorescent lights

not PCB free• Hazardous

materials• Opened paint• Pesticides• Storm windows/

screens• Window sashes

Questions about what we accept? Call the ReStore directly at 717-491-1156 or visit

www.yourlocalrestore.com

1512 Lincoln Way EastChambersburg, PA 17202

(on Rt 30 near Lowes)

Wed – Fri: 10am – 6pm; Sat: 9am – 3pmDonations accepted up to 30 minutes before

closing time. Donations may be tax deductible!

Hand Painted Vintage & Antique

Furniture Custom Painting Available

Antiques • Collectibles • Home Decor Shabby Chic and More!!

13 N. Main Street, Mercersburg, PA 17236

Join us Nov 20-23 for our One Year Anniversary Storewide Sale!!!

And Dec 6&7 for our Christmas Open House!!! CCCCChCChCCChChChCCCChCChCCChCCCCCC rrrrrrrrr ststs s s s s OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOpOOOpOOpOpOOppOpppOpOppppppppppppppppppppppppee HHHHHHHHHHououoououseee!!!!!!!!! !!!!! !!! ! ! Christmaass OOpOpOpppenenenen HHHououses !!!

Hours:� ur 10-6, Fri 12-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5

131313131131313133133131313131313133333131333131333133113331331311331133131331331311311331111331111133 NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. MaMaaMMMaMaMMaMMaMaMaMMaMMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMaMMMMaaMaMaaMMaMaMaMMaMMMMaMaMMaMaMMaMMMaMMMMMaMMM innininnninininnninininininininninniinininininnnnninninnnnnininii SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSttrtttrtrtrtrtrtrtrrrrrtrrtrrtrtrtrrtrtrtrtttttrtrtrttttrtttrtrttttrrtrtrtrtrrtrtrtrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee13 N. Main Stree

OnOnOOOOOOnOnOnOnOnOnOnOnOnOnOOnOnOnOnOOnOnOnOOOOn

357 N. Main StreetMercersburg, PA 17236

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEKSUN., 12 NOON–10 P.M.;

MON. –THUR., 11 A.M.-10 P.M.;

FRI. & SAT., 11 A.M.-10 P.M.

EAT IN OR TAKE OUT

TAKE OUT OR EAT IN ORDERS READY

IN 10 MINUTES498-0395 OR 498-0396 Email [email protected]

Come To The Restaurant 66 Church Street

Mercersburg, PA 17236

Have a

Holiday Party

Catered. Create Your Holiday Party Menu With Harry By Calling 717.328.3323

This Holiday Season!MercersburgShop, Dine,Visit

Mercersburg Inn� e

& Byron’s Dining Room

Thursday through Sunday

Visit Mercersburg Inn Restaurant for an Elegant Dining Experience

Phone: 717-328-5231Fax: 717-328-3403

405 South Main StreetMercersburg, PA 17236

Seating from 5:30 – 8:30Reservations recommended

Mention this ad and receive a complimentary glass of wine.

www.mercersburginn.com Visit our website to view full menu.

Mercersburg Inn� e

& Byron’s Dining RoomElegant lodging • Fine Dining

• Social & Business EventsPhone: 717-328-5231

Fax: 717-328-3403405 South Main StreetMercersburg, PA 17236

www.mercersburginn.com Visit our website to view full menu.

Purchase a gi� certi� cate

online or by phone

1 North Main Street • Mercersburg • PA • 17236Phone: 717.498.0498 • Fax: 717.498.0524

Breakfast Served: Tuesday, Friday & Saturday Only!

Hours: Sunday 1pm-7pmMon, Wed & Thur 11am - 8pm

Tues 7am-8pmFri & Sat 7am - 8:30pm

justintimesandwich.comfacebook.com/justintimesandwichandicecreamshop

Mercersburg Tree Lighting with SantaNovember 28th

6:30pm On the Square in MercersburgSanta will arrive on a fire truck, carols will be sung, the

First National Bank of Mercersburg will be making crafts with children for free

and all children will be able to meet Santa.Sponsored by the Tuscarora Area Chamber of Commerce

Mercersburg Parade of Wreaths November 27th-December 31st

Wreaths decorated by local businesses will adorn the parking meters in Downtown Mercersburg. Stroll Main Street and view the

decor while shopping and dining in Mercersburg.

Mercersburg’s Small Business Saturday November 29, 2014

Downtown Business Specials All Dayvisit www.downtownmercersburg.com for details

A Country Gospel Christmas at the PA OpryDec 4, Dec 10, Dec 11

Showtime 2pm @ the Star TheatreJoin us and celebrate the reason for the season with our favorite

show of the year! A great set of Country Gospel followed by set of Christmas Country Classics!

Mercersburg Community Chorus Concerts At the Mercersburg Academy Chapel December 6, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

December 7, 2014 at 3:00 p.m.Concerts are free and the public is cordially invited.

A free-will offering is collected. Seating is on a first-come first-served basis.

Bach: Magnificat, Rutter: Gloria, Rudolph: The Dream Isaiah Saw, Seasonal Music

Conocochegue Institute Christmas Open HouseDecember 13th

1-4pm

Holiday French Cooking Class WeekendDecember 13 &14 @ the Mercersburg Inn

The visiting chef is the program director at L’Academie de Cuisine culinary school

and has been on Iron Chef and Emeril Green.

Christmas Candlelight Service Sunday December 14th at 4pm and 7:30pm

With luminaries at Fairview Cemetery by the Buchanan Lioness.

New Year’s Eve at the Mercersburg InnDecember 31st, 2014

Plan to spend a New Year’s Eve getaway @ the Mercersburg Inn. Visit www.mercersburginn.com for more details

and availability.

378 N. Main Street, Mercersburg, PA 17236Sales Hours:

Sunday: ClosedMon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8am-7:30pm

Wednesday: 8am-5pmSaturday: 8am-12pm

Sales: (888) 437-2286 • Service: (877) 208-119

H o u s e T o u r i s m a n d r e c r e a T i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n T c o m m i T T e e

Tourism in Pennsylvania:Where We Are and Where We Could Be

presented by

Jerry Stern, Chairman House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee


TouriSm in PennSylvania: Where We Are and Where We Could Be

Pennsylvania Tourism Today

As you no doubt know, tourism is Pennsylvania’s second largest

industry. Here are some important facts and figures from

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)

about this vital sector of our economy:

• $40 billion total economic impact.

• 192 million visitors.

• 471,000 jobs.

• $4 billion in tax revenue for state and local government.

If the PA tourism industry didn’t exist, it would cost every

household in the state $810 a year to replace the tax revenues it

generates (DCED, 2012).

One of Pennsylvania’s greatest assets is that we have everything

that tourists would want, even sandy beaches at Presque Isle State

Park on Lake Erie for summer swimming fun! We have big city

excitement and small-town charm, vibrant urban streets and quiet

forest trails. We have history in abundance: America started in

Philadelphia, after all, and the union was preserved at Gettysburg

more than 150 years ago.

We have culture and the arts in museums and concert halls, big

and small, all across the Commonwealth. Prefer the great outdoors

instead? We have 120 state parks and nationally recognized

hunting and fishing opportunities. We have a long history of great

amusement parks, and they attract millions of thrill seekers every

summer. Want to stay inside? Our casinos draw thousands of

tourists every day looking to try their luck.

The state is within a day’s drive for 60 million potential visitors on

the East Coast. The Poconos, Amish Country, the PA Wilds, the

Laurel Highlands—these are just a few of the famous tourism

regions out-of-state visitors recognize and want to visit. We’re

affordable and competitive with other states. Pennsylvania is the

perfect place to have a great vacation.

State rep. Jerry Stern

Chairman of the House Tourism and

Recreational Development Committee


Tourism is at a Crossroad

It’s clear that we have much to offer visitors. But we’re not taking advantage of that. We used to be the

fourth most-visited state, but in recent years we’ve dropped to seventh. What happened? Did we lose

our attractions? Did Hersheypark relocate to New Jersey? Did our state parks close?

No, of course not. There are a number of factors in play, of course, such as the economic downturn and

competition from other states. However, I think that a big part of it is that we’ve simply taken ourselves

out of the game. We’re not reaching out to potential visitors like we used to. State government is no

longer taking a leadership role. We aren’t getting the private sector involved in tourism policy. And

we’re not providing financial support to market the state and support an industry that means so much

to our economy and to state and local government revenue streams.

Business people know well that if you don’t market your product to potential buyers, you lose

customer interest. If they don’t know what you have to offer, you’re not on their list. You don’t build a

business, in this case tourism, by being passive and waiting for customers, in this case visitors, to find

you. You have to actively go after them.

Meanwhile, as we fall behind, other states know the importance of promoting their state’s attractions.

If you’ve watched television in recent years, you’ve probably seen tourism ads for Michigan, Texas, New

York and California. Those states want tourism dollars from Pennsylvanians, and they’re going after

them. Here are just a few examples of what some states did for tourism:

• Michigan - $33 million spent on marketing, resulting in $1.1 billion in new visitor spending.

• Ohio – Doubled tourism spending to $10 million.

• Connecticut - $27 million over two years.

• New York - $60 million to market the state.

• New Jersey – $25 million on its “Stronger than the Storm” campaign.

• Florida – $100 million annual budget for tourism.

Up until the 2008-09 fiscal year Pennsylvania was consistently spending

in excess of $30 million on state tourism marketing and matching grants

to county and regional visitors bureaus. As of this fiscal year, we’re

spending $3 million, basically on a website. That’s a massive reduction

in support for an industry that provides so many jobs and so much

economic development and tax revenue for the people of Pennsylvania.

We have to do more. We need to grow our tourism industry, and the

new administration, working with the General Assembly, can make that

happen.


What We Can Do to Grow Tourism

The most pressing tourism need that has come to the forefront in

recent years is that state government must once again return to

its traditional role as a leader in bringing visitors, and vital visitor

dollars, to Pennsylvania.

State government needs to play a role

We have about 50 local visitors bureaus, also known as tourist

promotion agencies (TPAs) or destination marketing organizations

(DMOs) working to promote their regions. They want to attract

more visitors. They’ve often said, “Get them to Pennsylvania, and

we’ll take it from there.”

But their responsibility is to their local tourism economy and

their stakeholders. Their priority is not to promote Pennsylvania,

overall, as a destination, nor do they have the money or resources

to do so. State government still has that responsibility, and it has

traditionally taken the initiative to market the state and work in

partnership with visitors bureaus through matching grants and

marketing projects.

However, with a 90 percent reduction in tourism funding over the

past several years, DCED’s tourism office has very few resources

available to promote the state as a whole, and no money for

matching grants to county and regional agencies. At this point, it

appears that the $3 million available for marketing the state results

in little more than a tourism website. That’s basically reacting to

visitors who may be interested in what the state has to offer, not

proactively going after them and telling them why Pennsylvania

should be their next visit.

That’s why state leadership is essential. A state tourism agency, in

whatever form, should have a marketing plan and a strategic plan

and should have the desire and the financial means to implement

those plans. This state agency should work actively with local

visitors bureaus and the private sector to solicit their input and

ideas, and then should put those in place. Tourism marketing and

promotion at the state level should be vigorous, proactive, securely

funded, and free of politics and agendas—plus it should be

focused on tourism in all regions of Pennsylvania. That’s the kind of

leadership the tourism industry needs from state government.


Public-private partnership

Now, how do we establish this leadership? How do we implement this cooperative approach to local

and state marketing?

DCED has had a tourism office for many years. While it has achieved success on many occasions, there

have been times when its actions have demonstrated the inherent restrictions of an administrative

bureaucracy headed by appointees, dependent on general funds, and bereft of an established private

sector advisory board for input and ideas. At this point, the office has minimal staff and extremely

limited funding. Because of that, even the most skilled tourism professionals can’t do what needs to

be done to bring Pennsylvania’s visitation up to what it needs to be.

That’s why we should consider moving away from DCED having responsibility for developing and

implementing a state tourism strategy and look to a public-private partnership. For that reason I

introduced House Bill 1215. This bill creates an independent tourism commission as a partnership of

private sector tourism and public stakeholders.

That way, we will have an independent state agency that gives industry stakeholders a voice in tourism

policy and strategy that directly affects them and our vital tourism infrastructure. It will also ensure

the continuity of message and branding of Pennsylvania over administrations—I think we can agree

that changing marketing policies and state slogans every four or eight years as a new administration

comes into office certainly doesn’t help move us forward in a consistent fashion.

The commission will initially require no new spending—funding is available from the current state

tourism marketing line item. The bill would transfer control of state tourism marketing to the

professionals and businesses who know it best. Of course, there would still be state oversight and

accountability, as public agencies would have seats on the board and the Governor would approve all

appointees.

House Bill 1215 was approved by the House overwhelmingly, but unfortunately died in the Senate. I’m

recommending that my successor chairman reintroduce this legislation. I think that an independent

tourism commission is truly the way to go to get us back on track.

Over the past couple years DCED has been working with the Pennsylvania Association of Travel and

Tourism (PATT) on a parallel track to develop a public-private partnership through TeamPA Foundation.

A steering committee has been meeting and has selected a contractor to develop branding and a

marketing campaign. While I understand this approach and appreciate all the work PATT and the

department have done, I am concerned that this alternative may not achieve the independence and

continuity that a separate state tourism commission would have, and that this would also keep the

DCED tourism office as the official state marketing agency, which is not to be the case under House Bill

1215. I worry this would also keep in place the inherent restrictions facing a DCED tourism office that

I noted above, not to mention the drawbacks of uncertain leadership regarding who makes tourism

policy, the department or the partnership.


But whatever we do, we must focus on a comprehensive solution

that brings tourism stakeholders into the process to provide their

expertise and that offers an effective public-private collaboration

to keep the Pennsylvania brand in the minds of visitors. Florida

does it, for example, through Visit Florida, a 501 public/private

corporation created by law. Hawaii has an authority, Oregon

has a tourism commission, and Indiana has a tourism council

(DCED, 3/17/12 tourism privatization work group notes). Surely

Pennsylvania can something similar as well.

According to a DCED poll of tourism industry stakeholders, 68

percent of respondents were supportive of moving forward with

some sort of public-private tourism marketing partnership (2012 Stakeholder Perception Survey). Pennsylvania business leaders

said that competition from other states is their primary concern,

followed by a perception that the state was not leading the way. A

public-private commission could provide that very state leadership

the tourism industry needs right now.

Reliable funding

While establishing state leadership is absolutely necessary to

Pennsylvania’s tourism renaissance, a modest, dedicated stream

of funding is also important. Currently, the sole state support for

tourism consists of the tourism marketing general fund line item

in DCED. For 2014-15 that figure is about $7.3 million, but a large

portion of that is earmarked for specific tourism-related projects,

and the actual figure available for marketing Pennsylvania is less

than half that amount.

Needless to say, having a marketing budget dependent upon the

yearly budget negotiations is not the best way to have a consistent

program—revenue downturns inevitably lead to less state money

for marketing, which may not be the best policy during times

when visitors are looking for value destinations and visits, of which

Pennsylvania has plenty. A dedicated stream of revenue is a much

better and a more comprehensive way to approach this.

As for what source to access, using a portion of the state sales tax

on tourism industries or the state hotel occupancy tax have been

mentioned, and I introduced House Bill 1216, which is a tourism

tax credit. House Bill 1216 extends the involvement of private


industry tourism stakeholders by using the taxes they owe to help further develop and implement the

state’s overall tourism strategy and policy.

As I mentioned before, state support for tourism has dropped by 90 percent over the past several

years. These budget cuts resulted in a substantial loss of revenue in DCED’s marketing line item as

well as the elimination of both the regional and county tourist promotion agency matching grant

programs, the latter of which had been in place for over 50 years. County and regional visitors bureaus

have added their own spending to these modest state grants for regional tourism initiatives ($16

million combined at peak state funding).

The result is that these past few years of funding reductions and eliminations have severely diminished

state and local efforts to reach out to potential visitors. A dedicated stream of revenue in the form of

tax credits could restore the funds needed and also generate a productive working partnership with

private industry and local visitors bureaus.

Tax credits aren’t the only approach. The so-called “Missouri Model” has also been touted as an

approach to dedication tourism funding. This plan dedicates a portion of the growth in sales tax

revenue attributed to tourism-related industries to tourism marketing. Basically, it would use the

success of the industry to fund further marketing. More detailed research on this approach as well as

other funding sources used by other states, such as a car rental tax or a lodging tax, can be accessed

in a comprehensive 2013 DCED study, A Public Private Partnership to Market Domestic Tourism in Pennsylvania, developed by Thomas Mainzer III and Michael Herleman. I encourage your staff to take a

look at this very informative study.

A dedicated source of revenue for tourism would not be unique to Pennsylvania. In DCED’s 2009

survey of all state tourism offices, 17 states reported having a dedicated tax for tourism programs. In

addition, DCED’s own research into possible sources of state tourism funding identified tax credits as a

viable approach, and the issue has been a part of ongoing discussions with industry stakeholders over

the future of tourism marketing in Pennsylvania.

One thing to keep in mind when considering dedicated revenue for tourism marketing is that it

should be seen less as a debit on the budget but instead as a modest investment of dollars that

will return even more money to the private sector and to state and local government through

increased visitation. As a businessman, Gov. Tom Wolf surely knows that there’s a good reason

businesses spend billions of dollars a year on branding and marketing: Because it works. It provides a

tangible return on investment.


Preserving local tourism funding

One of the excuses made for the drastic reduction in state financial

support for tourism marketing is that counties have the ability to

collect a local hotel room tax. That’s true, and all but two counties

do so. Combined, the county room tax generates in excess of

$140 million, but the bulk of that is diverted to convention centers,

tourism grants and specific tourism capital projects contained in

some of the dozen individual room tax laws. This leaves about

$67 million available to local visitors bureaus for operational and

marketing purposes (DCED, 2012).

These dollars, however, are spent by visitors bureaus to promote

tourism locally and regionally; promoting Pennsylvania as a

whole is not part of their mission. That’s the state’s responsibility.

A policy of leaving tourism promotion to local TPAs funded by

the local room tax does little to promote the state overall in a

comprehensive manner.

What’s more, many TPAs are feeling pressure from their county

commissioners and others at the local level for access to room

tax revenue. In most room tax statutes, the TPA receives almost

all of the revenue from the room tax, which it must then spend

for tourism purposes. It is a dedicated tax, and the language of

the law is clear. As you know, however, money for local projects

is as tight as it is for state government projects, and some

commissioners are looking to the room tax as revenue they can

use for projects not related to marketing and in some cases not

related to tourism. Some of these attempts were put on the table

in the form of Senate Bill 838, which failed to pass the legislature

for this very reason.

This is a dangerous road to go down. Hotel room tax dollars have

traditionally been earmarked for tourism and convention center

purposes. It’s the very reason that the lodging community has

agreed to accept a special tax on its patrons, a tax burden that

no other tourism business has to impose—It was assured that

this revenue would be used to attract more visitors, to “put heads

in beds” as the saying goes. If these revenues are diverted for

projects that counties have funded or should be funding through

their general budgets, tourism suffers and we are going back on

the cooperative agreement that created the hotel room tax in the


first place. The room tax is not for non-tourism purposes—the hotel industry should not be a cash cow

for budget line items that counties could fund through their general taxes or one of many state capital

grant and loan programs that are available. That’s not fair to the hotel industry, nor is it a good way to

bring more visitor dollars to the state.

The bottom line is that creating jobs and generating revenue though tourism occurs only when room

tax dollars are used specifically for tourism, not for programs and projects that are not designed

primarily to promote the community or attract visitors. That is why room tax dollars have traditionally

been earmarked solely for tourism marketing and promotion and convention center purposes.

Diverting these dollars to programs or projects that don’t work toward the goal of increasing

visitation only weakens the tourism economy. Pennsylvania has basically stopped spending money

on marketing the state to visitors, and we can see the impact it has had—we’re barely treading water

while other states pass us by.

TO


Enhancing local tourism funding

As these two major challenges have been facing local visitors bureaus—the elimination of state

matching grants and more pressure locally to access their room tax revenue—a number of TPAs have

approached the General Assembly for permission to increase their room tax rates. Again, there are

about a dozen room tax laws, but the bulk of the state’s counties not covered under a convention

center authority law or an individual room tax statute have a maximum rate of 3 percent as delineated

under two sections of the County Code (1770.2 and 1770.6, 54 counties combined).

Throughout 2014, staff from the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee

participated in an informal task force with representatives from the tourism and lodging industries

(PATT and PRLA) and the county commissioners to develop an agreed-to bill that would allow these

54 counties to increase their rate if they like. The result, House Bill 2515, would authorize a 5 percent

maximum tax for these counties and reinforce the General Assembly’s policy that the resulting

revenue must be used for tourism purposes. It was a difficult negotiation, to be sure, but we proved

that a comprehensive, consistent and fair solution could be found.

(I suggest that you compare House Bill 2515 to Senate Bill 838, which was the room tax approach

passed by the Senate late in the session. Senate Bill 838 is not a comprehensive, agreed-to bill: It

would single out just a handful of individual counties for tax increases, not 54 counties like House

Bill 2515. The bill would also set a very unwise precedent by allowing one township out of the state’s

2,600 municipalities to impose a 3 percent hotel tax for police service, not tourism. At this point,

only counties can impose the tax, and it must be earmarked for tourism. It’s easy to predict that

this precedent would lead hundreds of other municipalities to request the same tax for their police

or other budgetary items. Additionally, one section of the bill would even take tourism out of the

spending purposes entirely, appropriating revenue to agencies not involved in tourism. Needless

to say, Senate Bill 838 has the potential to make things only worse, causing resentment among

counties that were excluded and retreating from the tradition and agreement that hotel tax dollars are

dedicated solely to increasing visitation and economic development through tourism.)

I’d recommend moving forward with House Bill 2515 in the coming session, and I encourage the

administration to reach out to the lodging community and local visitors bureaus to see how we can

continue to move forward on this issue in a cooperative, positive manner.


Tourism is economic development

Too often, tourism is viewed by government and the public alike as not worth

the attention that other industries get. This does a disservice to an industry that

generates $40 billion in economic activity in every county of the state, and it’s a

perception we need to change.

Tourism is economic development. It’s as simple as that. Just like we would

want to bring a new factory to a community, we should want to nurture,

support and bring more tourism businesses into communities across the state.

And travel jobs are good jobs—they offer upward mobility and benefits and

provide transferable skills for future employment. According to the US Travel

Association, two out of five workers who start in the travel industry go on to

earn in excess of six figures (Visit Philadelphia, 2014).

Plus, tourism is a statewide industry. Urban areas such as Philadelphia and Erie

have found that tourism can be an important tool for revitalization and jobs.

Erie alone has doubled its tourism and hospitality economy since 2001 (GoErie.com, 1/12/14). Rural communities such as Jim Thorpe have discovered that they

can leverage their natural beauty and unique settings to attract visitors. All we

need to do now is help them get tourists there.

We can do that by marketing. Marketing works. Other states know that very

well: A $5 million Colorado print and TV ad campaign resulted in $900 million in

additional visitor spending (The Denver Post, 1/16/13). New York focused more

attention on marketing and increased its number of visitors by 8.8 million (Gov. Cuomo news release, 1/16/13).

But when marketing is abandoned, tourism suffers. There’s the classic story of

Colorado retreating from state involvement in tourism marketing entirely, only

to suffer real economic losses and restoring funding years later (The Rise and Fall of Colorado Tourism, Longwoods International). More recently, Connecticut

zeroed out its marketing budget, only to realize that it was “literally taken off the

tourism map” and subsequently unveiling its $27 million “Still Revolutionary”

initiative (Gov. Malloy news release, 5/14/12).

From a tourism perspective, we’re in a funk. We need leadership from the top,

we need cooperation, and we need good ideas with the people and the funding

necessary to implement them. We should start today. Because with the right

policies, the right approach and the right amount of money, the return on

investment to the state will be significant.


Tourism benefits state and local government

Like any other business, the tourism business and its patrons pay taxes to state and local government,

about $4 billion in fact, according to the annual Economic Impact of Travel and Tourism in

Pennsylvania report (Tourism Economics, 12/2013). That’s a lot of money, and it’s revenue we need now

more than ever.

While it’s true that tax revenue will continue to flow even if we do nothing to promote Pennsylvania

tourism, we have to think about how much money we are leaving on the table by not marketing.

People have choices where to spend their travel dollars. If they don’t know that Pennsylvania is a

great choice for a road trip, an overnight or a week, if we’re not on their list of places to go, then the

spending and tax revenue are gone. We have to reach out to visitors; we can’t be passive and wait for

them to discover us. Our businesses need their dollars and our government needs that tax revenue.

With just a modest amount of spending on marketing, we can generate a huge return on investment.

PATT, an industry voice, conservatively estimates that a dollar spent on promotion returns $25 to the

state.

In other words, think of the state marketing line item in the General Fund not as an expenditure that,

once made is forever gone, but as an investment that has a measurable return in tax revenue for

government. We need to return to this attitude toward our second largest industry and a major job

creator.

Tourism benefits all of Pennsylvania

The best things about tourism are that it is bipartisan and doesn’t discriminate between rural and

urban, between the southeast and the southwest, or between small or large. All regions of the state

have attractions, natural resources and history that visitors want to know more about.

Everything from B&Bs to chain luxury hotels, from family-owned diners to world-class restaurants, from

a quiet hike in old-growth forests to an excursion to bustling urban night spots, Pennsylvania has it all,

and visitors need to be told that, in depth and often.

Tourism in Pennsylvania has an unlimited future. But it needs leadership. It needs reliable funding.

And it needs new ideas and new perspectives. I’m confident the Wolf administration, working with the

tourism industry and the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee, can make that

happen.

tuscarora area chamber of commerce · tim howley were joined wednesday november 12th by mercersburg...

Documents