Mike Bowman, right, president and CEO of the Valley Forge Tourism and Cinvention Board and mascot Monty the Fox address the Travel Rally attendees May 8.(PHOTO COURTESY VALLEY FORGE TOURISM AND CONVENTION BOARD)
The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board this week celebrated tourism in Montgomery County during its seventh annual Travel Rally. The event is an opportunity for the agency to talk about new and returning events in the region this year and their impact on the county’s economy.
About 200 people attended this year’s event — themed “Travel Forward” — held May 8 At Commonwealth National Golf Club in Horsham Township during National Travel & Tourism Week. The event featured a hot air balloon, a banner plane flyover, the Hatboro-Horsham High School Color Guard and performers from the American Revolution Show.
The event celebrated Montgomery County as a premiere tourism destination.
“Here in Montco, we’re beyond proud to see how tourism continues to move forward,” Mike Bowman, president & CEO of the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, said in a statement. “In 2022, we’re estimating that hospitality contributed more than $1.5 billion and more than 25,000 jobs. And, we’re forecasting that by the end of this year, we’ll exceed 2019 levels for tourism spend.”
The tourism board told attendees that the summer of 2023 will be a record summer for sports in Montgomery County, with nine USA events planned.
Among the sports events in Montgomery County this year is US Youth Soccer, which the agency estimates will generate more than 5,000 room nights and almost $5 million in positive economic impact. It is the largest ever single sporting event in Montgomery County, according to a press release. Combined, all the USA events mean 12,500 room nights for more than $10 million in economic impact, and more than 40,000 room nights total for sports this summer.
New in 2022 and returning this year is the Montco Jazz Fest, which will again be incorporated into the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board’s third annual Arts Montco Week, Sept. 20 to Oct. 1. It will include a Women in Jazz theme and feature dozens of performances at iconic Montgomery County venues.
Also returning to Montgomery County this year is the American Revolution Show. The costumed performers will perform outside Washington Memorial Chapel for performances on May 27 and June 10.
The American Revolution Show features seven actors performing on a small platform — creating the “characters, scenery and props with only their bodies and their voices,” according to information on the website for the touring group. The performers recreate the American fight for independence. Sponsored by the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board, the shows will be free. Information about the performances can be found by visiting valleyforge.org/things-to-do/arts-culture/american-revolution-show/.
Returning in July will be the third annual Crave Montco Month, a four-week campaign that highlights the county’s more than 1,850 restaurants and Montco Makers — breweries, wineries and distilleries.
Crave Monto Month and Arts Montco Week were launched in 2021 to promote restaurants and the arts in the county — two segments of the tourism and travel industry that were most heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Also returning to Montgomery County is Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR will make its North American debut at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks from Sept. 26 through Oct. 22 under the Big Top. Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR is described as a colorful homage to Cirque du Soleil legacy.
This is the third time Cirque du Soleil has been engaged in Montgomery County. The iconic entertainment troupe first came to the area in 2018 with VOLTA, returning in 2019 with AMALUNA.
During the travel rally, the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board also teased its summer video media campaign, which positions Montgomery County’s strengths as the ultimate family destination, according to a press release.
Based on consumer research and trend monitoring, the organization knows a large majority of travelers, specifically in New York City and Washington, D.C., “are making leisure travel a priority, and will target their family-focused messaging to those markets and more,” the release stated.
The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board has an ongoing partnership with Zartico, a company that helps track visitor information to provide details on where visitors are coming from, places they’re visiting, how long they’re staying, and what they’re spending.