Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency keeps up with changing times
(Photo by Cindy Ekas)
The High Point National, which brings professional motocross competitors from around the world, is the largest single-day event in Greene County. It takes place June 16.
In an ever-changing world, the Greene County Tourist Promotion agency is doing things differently as well.
To keep up with a faster pace, and a larger and wider audience after a global pandemic, the theme is reach out to more and do it quickly.
Things are moving fast.
“We’ve increased our marketing effort, focused on digital communications,” said JoAnne Marshall, director of Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency. “Digital communications has opened a world market. We’ve changed to reach more people and to reach them more with more frequency.”
The agency is making use of digital platforms like never before.
Rain Day is one of biggest events the agency promotes. It is celebrated every July 29.
“People all over are interested,” Marshall added. “They want know if it rained in Waynesburg on July 29.”
Marshall said some of the feature events being promoted this year include:
n New for Greene County: Legendary Con (July 8-9) https://legendarycomiccon.com/
n Country Star Michael Ray performing at the Greene County Fair (August 9): https://greenecountyfair.org/
n Greene County NTPA Mega Pull (moved from September to June 10 with five classes of professional competitors): https://greenecountyfair.org/mega-pull
n Rain Day Festival (150th year of tracking rain July 29th): https://raindayfestival.com/
n Washington and Greene Counties’ Covered Bridge Festival (popular fall festival on Sept 16-17): https://visitgreene.org/event/covered-bridge-festival/
n High Point National (largest single-day event in Greene County and brings professional motocross competitors from all around the world on June 16): https://visitgreene.org/event/high-point-national-pro-motocross/
Marshall said moving the NTPA Mega Pull to June and having Ray perform at the Greene County Fair are highlights as well.
Marshall also pointed to the promotion of members and benefits those members receive.
“In addition to the membership benefits that come with new membership, the chamber is here to promote with (many) items,” she said. “Keep in mind that we need information from our members to be successful in completing these tasks.
“We need (members) to educate us on their business or non-profit so we can advocate on their behalf and do the best job we can in representing them.”
According to the agency’s information, it was founded in 1995, the Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency is the official tourism promotion organization for Greene County and is designed to promote and encourage visitors to Greene County. It is comprised of a variety of partners including agritourism, fairs and festivals, history and heritage, recreation, arts and culture, family fun, dining, shopping and accommodations. It is located in Waynesburg.
According to the 2017 Economic Impact of Travel and Tourism in Pennsylvania:
n Visitors spent $78.5 million in Greene County.
n Tourism provides more than 480 jobs in Greene County.
“Its mission is to build Greene County as a destination and stimulate its economy by promoting the businesses, attractions and scenic natural beauty that makes us unique,” the agency says.
“It is guided by a board of directors with various activities recommended and implemented by committees. The agency is funded by a county hotel/motel tax, partnership fees, state tourism matching grants and other fundraising programs.
“The agency creates an annual visitors guide as well as specific target brochures each year. Discover our visitors guide and brochures at: https://visitgreene.org/brochuresandguides/.”
Marshall added that the most recent data published shows interesting numbers. Data for 2022 won’t be completed for another year.
Highlights for Pennsylvania’s Tourism Economic Impact 2021 for Greene County includes:
n Visitors spent $70.7 million (total impact was $75 million)
n Supported 503 Jobs
n Generated Direct Impact of $3.4 million in State/Local Taxes (total impact was $6.5 million)
The STR Hotel Trend Report listed local occupancy at Greene County Hotels for:
2022: 53.1%
2021: 46.9%
2020: 36.7%
2019: 62.9%
“Reports towards the end of 2021 commented that hotels were not expected to fully recover from COVID-19 until 2025, which has been demonstrated so far by the occupancy reports.”
“Business travel is not what it was,” Marshall said. “We’re dealing with different audiences, and it’s a different dynamic we are facing.”