In this edition of tourism industry news, legislators in Pottstown and West Chester hope to increase promotional funding. Also, visits to Pennsylvania by Canadian residents are declining.
More Funding Considered to Grow PA Tourism
HARRISBURG PA – Two state legislators have introduced companion bills in the state House and Senate to help grow tourism.
146th House District Rep. Joe Ciresi, who represents the borough and surrounding townships, and 19th District Sen. Carolyn Comitta of West Chester submitted proposed laws to increase money available for the state Tourism Promotion Fund. It would be used to “market Pennsylvania’s desirability as a vacation location to out-of-state tourists,” they say.
Under the bills, the new funding would come from a portion of state hotel occupancy tax revenue. Currently, that money ends up in the general fund.
Instead, some would be re-directed to the Tourism Promotion Fund, overseen by the Department of Community and Economic Development. Also intended to receive funding for promotion of historical, cultural and artistic attractions are the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
The House bill, sponsored by Ciresi, was referred to the House Tourism, Recreation And Economic Development Committee. Comitta’s companion bill also is under review, by the Senate Finance Committee.
Top photo by Travels With The Post
Fewer Canadians Visiting Pennsylvania During 2025
QUEBEC CITY, CANADA – Travel by Canadian tourists to Pennsylvania has declined this year, compared to 2024, according to the Shapiro administration. On Monday (Oct. 6, 2025), it attributed the change to “shifting federal rhetoric and trade tensions.”
Last year, more than half a million Canadian residents visited Pennsylvania, according to state statistics. They account for more than a third of all international visitors to PA. Those guests and others helped support 500,000 jobs and $84 billion in economic activity driven by PA’s tourism industry, Gov. Josh Shapiro reported.
Despite the decrease, the governor reaffirmed Pennsylvania’s commitment to remaining a welcoming, open destination for Canadian travelers.
Leading Leadership Summit
Shapiro’s remarks came during a visit to Quebec, where he was elected chair for the next two years of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Leadership Summit.
The group includes the governors of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in the United States, and the premiers of Ontario and Quebec in Canada. They collectively represent more than 111 million people, in what the administration described as “one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world.”
Photo from Getty Images on Unsplash+, used under license
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