Total Economic Impact of Tourism in the PA Wilds Reaches $3.29 Billion in 2024 – GantNews.com

2024 Economic Impact Report: Sustainable Tourism Growth in the Pennsylvania Wilds Region

Executive Summary

A 2024 report by Tourism Economics indicates unprecedented economic growth in the Pennsylvania Wilds tourism sector, with visitor spending reaching a record $2.1 billion and a total economic impact of $3.29 billion. This growth demonstrates a successful model of rural economic diversification that strongly aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting decent work, fostering sustainable communities, ensuring responsible consumption, and protecting terrestrial ecosystems through strategic partnerships.

Economic Performance and Contribution to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

The region’s tourism performance in 2024 provides a compelling case study for achieving SDG 8, which promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. The PA Wilds has not only recovered from the global pandemic but has achieved record-setting growth for three consecutive years, reinforcing the resilience of its nature-based economic model.

• Total Economic Impact: The visitor economy generated $3.29 billion, a 4.6% increase from 2023. This figure includes direct, indirect, and induced effects, showcasing a robust contribution to the regional economy.
• Direct Visitor Spending: Visitors spent a record $2.1 billion, representing a 5.3% increase over the previous year.
• Employment: Visitor spending directly supported 11.8% of local employment, an increase of 1.2% from 2023, directly contributing to the SDG 8 target of creating decent jobs.

Fostering Sustainable Communities and Environmental Stewardship (SDGs 11, 12, & 15)

The strategic approach in the PA Wilds integrates economic development with conservation, directly supporting multiple interconnected SDGs.

1. SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The regional strategy focuses on diversifying local economies to improve quality of life and build economic resilience in rural communities. By leveraging natural and cultural assets, the model makes these communities more sustainable and attractive for investment and population retention.
2. SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The emphasis on visitors who “eat local, stay local, shop local” promotes sustainable consumption patterns. This supports local entrepreneurs and small businesses, such as those in the Wilds Cooperative of PA network, reducing economic leakage and fostering a circular local economy.
3. SDG 15 (Life on Land): The region’s identity is intrinsically linked to its over 2 million acres of public land. The tourism model is designed to inspire greater stewardship of these natural assets, using meaningful travel experiences to connect visitors to conservation efforts. This approach helps protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems, a primary goal of SDG 15.

Strategic Partnerships and Data-Driven Policy (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals)

The success of the PA Wilds is underpinned by a multi-stakeholder partnership model, a core principle of SDG 17. Collaboration between the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, local businesses, visitor bureaus, government partners, and non-profits is critical to the intentional and sustainable growth of the sector. The timely release of the Tourism Economics report is highlighted as a vital tool for these partnerships, enabling data-driven decision-making, informing marketing strategies, and making stronger cases for continued investment in sustainable rural development.

Key Regional Growth Indicators for 2024

• Visitor Share: 3% of all Pennsylvania visitors explored the PA Wilds region.
• Spending Distribution: Visitor expenditures were allocated across four main categories:
  • Transportation: 32.1%
  • Food and Beverage: 22.9%
  • Retail: 16.2%
  • Lodging: 9.3%
• Post-Pandemic Rebound: The region has demonstrated exceptional resilience, rebounding from a $530 million spending drop during the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve record-breaking economic performance for three consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the economic impact of tourism in the Pennsylvania Wilds region addresses and connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis reveals a strong link to the following goals:

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The core of the article focuses on the economic prosperity generated by tourism, including record-breaking visitor spending, total economic impact, and job creation. This directly aligns with the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article highlights the development of a specific rural region (the 13-county Pennsylvania Wilds). It discusses strategies to diversify local economies, attract investment, and retain population, which are key components of making communities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The focus on safeguarding the region’s natural heritage is also central to this goal.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article implicitly supports this goal by discussing a form of tourism that is based on appreciating and sustaining natural assets (“2+ million acres of public lands”). The PA Wilds Center’s mission to “inspire stewardship” and promote local products (“eat local, stay local, shop local”) points towards ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns within the tourism sector.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The entire tourism model described in the article is built upon the region’s vast public lands and natural ecosystems. The mission to “integrate conservation and economic development” and “inspire greater connection to and stewardship of these assets” directly relates to protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article explicitly mentions the collaborative effort required to achieve the region’s success. It thanks “hundreds of local businesses, visitor bureaus and heritage areas, chambers, local and state government partners, corporate sponsors, and the many conservation and economic development nonprofits,” which exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships needed to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 8.9: “By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.”
   • Explanation: The entire regional strategy led by the PA Wilds Center is an example of a policy to promote sustainable tourism. The article’s data on increased employment (“Employment directly supported by visitor spending reached 11.8%, up 1.2% from 2023”) and the emphasis on visitors who “eat local, stay local, shop local” directly align with this target.
2. Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.”
   • Explanation: The article states that the PA Wilds is “known for being home to more than 2 million acres of public land.” The PA Wilds Center’s mission includes inspiring “stewardship” of these assets, demonstrating a clear effort to protect and safeguard the region’s significant natural heritage as a foundation for its economy.
3. Target 12.b: “Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism…”
   • Explanation: The “Tourism Economics report” discussed extensively in the article is a primary example of such a monitoring tool. The article emphasizes its importance, stating, “Data is so important to making cases for investment and to informing local community and economic development decision making.” This report tracks the economic and employment impacts of tourism, allowing stakeholders to monitor progress.
4. Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…”
   • Explanation: The article provides direct evidence of this target in action. It credits the region’s success to a wide range of partners, including “local businesses, visitor bureaus… chambers, local and state government partners, corporate sponsors, and… nonprofits.” The Wilds Cooperative of PA, described as “a network of more than 575 place-based businesses and organizations,” is a concrete example of such a partnership structure.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

1. For Target 8.9 (Sustainable Tourism and Jobs):
   • Indicator: Tourism’s contribution to GDP and growth rate. The article provides specific figures: “$2.1 billion” in visitor spending (up 5.3%) and a “total economic impact of the visitor economy hit $3.29 billion” (up 4.6%). These figures directly measure the economic growth from tourism.
   • Indicator: Proportion of jobs in the tourism industry. The article states that “Employment directly supported by visitor spending reached 11.8%, up 1.2% from 2023,” providing a clear metric for job creation in the sector.
2. For Target 12.b (Monitoring Sustainable Tourism):
   • Indicator: Existence and use of a regular monitoring report. The article’s focus on the annual “Tourism Economics report” serves as an indicator that a system for monitoring the impacts of tourism is in place and actively used for decision-making.
   • Indicator: Visitor spending patterns. The breakdown of visitor expenditures—”transportation (32.1%), food and beverage (22.9%), retail (16.2%), and lodging (9.3%)”—can be used to analyze the specific economic impacts and guide strategies to promote local sourcing.
3. For Target 17.17 (Partnerships):
   • Indicator: Number of partners in a multi-stakeholder network. The article mentions the “Wilds Cooperative of PA, a network of more than 575 place-based businesses and organizations,” which is a quantifiable indicator of the scale of the partnership.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: gantnews.com