Regional tourism industry rebounding

May 29—A pair of train enthusiasts who traveled as far as China and South Africa to photograph locomotives visited the Steamtown National Historic Site to check out a new attraction. David Parker of Ontario, Canada, and Matthew Watson of Regina, Saskatchewan, stopped in the city to see the "Nickel Plate 190," which returned to Steamtown this month.

They planned to visit Horseshoe Curve in Altoona before heading back over the border.

The setup at Steamtown left a positive impression on Watson, 37, during his first trip to the site.

"It's nice and accessible," he said. "You have the freedom to walk around and enjoy finding what interests you."

The regional tourism industry, crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic, shows signs of a rebound, according to a report released this month by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Specifically, visitor spending in the Upstate PA region — consisting of Lackawanna, Luzerne, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Sullivan and Bradford counties — increased by nearly 30% in 2021, per the report.

Curt Camoni, executive director of the Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau, stressed lodging establishments which felt the brunt of the COVID-related mandates bounced back strong.

"Hotels went through as hard a time as anybody, going down to levels of occupancy and levels of employment I could never have even imagined," he said.

After dipping to "utterly devastating" occupancy levels below 40% in 2020, the figures increased to just under 50% in 2021 and nearly 61% by the end of 2022, above the pre-pandemic level of 59.1% in 2019, Camoni said. The number peaked at more than 74% in July 2021, he said.

Sports spur regional tourism

While the minor league Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins garner headlines, Camoni noted youth travel sports tournaments, featuring teams from out-of-state, provide a significant boost to the local economy.

"We're seeing a ton of interest in our area for a variety of events," he said. "We go to three sports sales shows each year and it's our fastest growing market segment with traditional sports tournaments — baseball, basketball and soccer — and unique events like archery festivals and the National Beard and Moustache Championships at Montage Mountain."

The county features more than 90 basketball courts, 42 baseball fields, 41 softball fields, 43 soccer fields, and 58 tennis courts to attract tournaments.

"We're really well positioned to see even more growth," Camoni said. "Those types of tournaments not only put heads in beds, but they also put money into our local economy and facilities whether it's Riverfront Sports, PNC Field or school facilities," Camoni said.

Camoni believes the growing popularity of the youth sports scene prompts visitors to spend extravagantly at the sites.

"These travel tournaments have become the new family vacation," he said. "When these families come into town, they're going to other attractions. They can have family experiences at local businesses and still afford it."

Alan Stout, executive director of Visit Luzerne County, expressed optimism about the region's tourism industry as hotel tax figures rise. The organization receives 1% of the 5% hotel tax visitors pay when staying at hotels.

The group saw a 10.7% increase in money received in 2021 compared to 2019 and a 30.3% increase in funds received in 2022 compared to 2019, Stout said.

"I don't even look at 2020," he said. "If you really want to see how we're doing, I always use pre-pandemic 2019 as the gauge."

Lodging popular at parks, too

After experiencing "astronomical" attendance figures in 2020, the numbers decreased the past two years at Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Twp, said park manager Rob Barrese.

Despite fewer overall visitors, Barrese noticed demand among campers picking up over the past three years.

"It's been much more robust," he said. "There has been a lot more usage in camping and a lot more boaters."

Barrese believes Lackawanna State Park benefitted from the reopening of state parks in neighboring New York and New Jersey being further delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We were getting a ton of out-of-state visitors," he said. "We were the only place they could go in 2020 and a portion of 2021."

An influx of travelers also appeared evident last year at Ricketts Glen State Park, which spans Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties.

Stout observed a full parking lot during a trip to the park on a warm November day and noticed about 70% of the license plates were from out of state.

Big stars equal big paydays

The ability of Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Twp. to attract chart-toppers like Kenny Chesney, who played during Easter weekend, bodes well for the county's economy, Stout said.

"We heard from the hotels that they were sold out because of that event on a holiday weekend when they normally might not have been," he said.

The Keystone State Games, modeled after the Olympics, which returned in 2021 also boosted revenue, Stout said.

The event which comes to Luzerne County each July brings in between $3 million to $4 million every year to the economy and fills hotel rooms, he said.

"When more people are staying here from out of town, they're at the disposal of the community to eat and shop," Stout said. "That's one of the reasons tourism is so important to the economy of any county — not only for the hotels but how that spills out in the community."

Worldwide reach

Jerry's Classic Cars and Collectibles Museum on South Centre Street in Pottsville attracts guests from Sweden and The Netherlands each fall, owner Jerry Enders said.

"They found our museum to be a destination to the point where the folks from Holland bring me gifts and items to put in the museum," he said.

The business which began its 27th season this month features more than 20,000 collectibles housed in a former Studebaker dealership, Enders said.

Visitors from North Carolina, New York and Virginia already visited this year.

"We get a lot of tourism with people who are coming home to visit family in the Coal Region and Northeast," Enders said.

Enders put an added emphasis on marketing this year — both locally and nationally.

"With the cost of gas and everything else, I think we're going to see a lot more day-trips," he said. "One thing really helping the Northeast is the craft breweries and wineries. There is a lot of activity to bring people to Northeast Pennsylvania."

Contact the writer: rtomkavage@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131; @rtomkavage on Twitter.