The historic battlefield and town will observe the 150th anniversary of the 1863 Civil War battle in 2013, and the president of the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau expects that 4 million people will visit.
Thats a million more visitors than Gettysburg (population 7,500) now attracts each year. CVB president Norris Flowers says the expected crowds will require investment in three areas: tourism infrastructure, from improved roads to hotels; marketing, including concerted overseas efforts; and event planning.
The economic impact of the popular National Military Park is huge for Adams County. In 2007 tourism generated $345 million; an increase in tourism, peaking in 2013, promises to earn as much as $400 million, which Flowers says is a conservative estimate. The investment will result in permanent improvements and jobs.
We look at this as our Olympic moment, says Flowers. The infrastructure we build stays on, as it does in Olympic host cities.
New attractions have boosted tourism. The 2007 opening of a new Visitor Center at the battlefield, the re-installation of the famous cyclorama painting, and the opening of the David Wills House in the center of town prompt repeat business. “A large percentage of our visitors come on multiple occasions,” says Flowers.
From Pittsburgh to Chambersburg and from Carlisle to Wrightsville, many other Pennsylvania towns were vital Civil War sites. The states Historical and Museum Commission plans a traveling exhibit and other special events for the sesquicentennial celebration.
Source: Norris Flowers, Gettysburg CVB
Writer: Chris OToole