On May 21 in Lackawanna County, Philadelphia, Gov. Josh Shapiro launched Pennsylvania’s new state tourism brand: The Great American Getaway.
The new brand showcases all the commonwealth has to offer as a premier weekend getaway destination with thousands of attractions – including blockbuster events coming to the state in 2026, like America’s 250th anniversary celebration, the FIFA World Cup and the MLB All Star Game in 2026.
While in Philadelphia, Shapiro and Lieutenant Gov. Austin Davis visited historical landmarks, promoted local small businesses and encouraged more people to visit Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. The announcement included the launch of TED Democracy, the first ever TED equity series focused on the future of democracy, to be hosted in Philadelphia over the next three years.
After kicking off the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, Shapiro and Independence Visitors Center CEO Kathryn Ott Lovell visited the iconic Rocky Statue and steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and then toured the new Rocky Store, which opened in October 2023. The RV tour continued with a visit to Independence Hall, where the governor and lieutenant governor toured the Governor’s Council Chamber, which served as the executive chamber for the Governor of Pennsylvania until 1799.
Shapiro and Davis also visited the BOK Building – a former technical high school repurposed into workspaces for Philadelphia small businesses, nonprofits and artists.
Davis then visited The Garden at the Cherry Street Pier – a year-round, mixed-use public space on the central Delaware River Waterfront that serves as a creative incubator, marketplace, performance venue and social space, created for and by the Philadelphia community.
In the evening, Shapiro and Davis joined Visit Philadelphia to host the Great American Happy Hour at Mural City Cellars. They were joined by Philadelphia leaders and prominent travel and lifestyle creators to highlight all Pennsylvania tourism has to offer while supporting a family and Latino-owned business.
Tourism is a key piece of the governor’s economic development strategy, generating $76 billion and supporting more than 486,000 jobs a year in Pennsylvania – and the new brand builds on Shapiro’s proposed $18 million tourism investment to boost our economy, attract more visitors and support good-paying jobs.
A new report released by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office in March shows Pennsylvania’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.
“From our hospitality and entertainment industries to our state parks, trails, and outdoor recreation businesses – tourism is a powerful economic engine, benefitting nearly every corner of Pennsylvania and giving every traveler the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
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