The PennZone

~ Erie County, Pennsylvania - As the 2024 total solar eclipse swept across the United States, Erie County saw a surge of tourists estimated to be as high as 200,000. This influx of visitors injected up to $50 million into the local economy, making it one of the largest tourism events in the county's history.

Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro were among the hundreds of thousands of eclipse-watchers who flocked to Erie to witness this rare celestial event. They were joined by NASA Astronaut and Pittsburgh-native Woody Hoburg, as well as representatives from various organizations such as VisitErie, Erie Downtown Partnership, and the Erie Seawolves.

Erie was the only major city in Pennsylvania that fell within the path of totality for this eclipse. As a result, it was expected to see a significant number of visitors from both within and outside the state. Visit Erie, the tourist promotion agency for Erie County, estimated that up to 200,000 people traveled to the county specifically for this event.

Governor Shapiro took advantage of this opportunity to highlight his commitment towards boosting Pennsylvania's tourism industry. During his visit to Erie, he announced a proposed $18 million increase in his 2024-25 budget for tourism and business marketing efforts across the Commonwealth.

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According to Governor Shapiro, "Pennsylvania is one of 13 states in the path of totality for today's eclipse - but nowhere else has the beauty of the Erie bayfront." He emphasized that this event was not only a one-day attraction but also an opportunity to showcase all that Pennsylvania has to offer as a world-class destination.

The Governor's proposed budget also includes significant investments directly tied to his ten-year economic development strategy. This strategy prioritizes tourism and adopts a new marketing approach to promote all aspects of Pennsylvania's economy. It also aims to create economic opportunities for all Pennsylvanians.

Tourism is one of the largest and most important industries in Pennsylvania, generating over $76 billion a year and supporting more than 486,000 jobs across the Commonwealth. The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) oversees the state's tourism and business marketing offices.

DCED Secretary Rick Siger stated that "the Governor believes now is the time to invest in Pennsylvania's vibrant tourism industry and the businesses and entrepreneurs who drive its economic growth." He also added that the proposed budget would provide a much-needed boost to tourism operations funding, which would ultimately spur Pennsylvania's economy.

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In addition to the proposed increase in tourism funding, Governor Shapiro's budget also includes $500 million for PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites to Pennsylvania. It also allocates $25 million for the Main Street Matters program, which supports small businesses and commercial corridors across the Commonwealth.

Furthermore, $20 million will be dedicated to supporting large-scale innovation and leveraging Pennsylvania's best-in-class research and development assets. An additional $3.5 million will be used to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge, which aims to incentivize regional growth.

Governor Shapiro's economic development strategy is the first of its kind in nearly two decades. It calls for collaboration from partners across all sectors to support these initiatives and create opportunities for all Pennsylvanians.

To learn more about Governor Shapiro's proposed budget and how it will benefit Pennsylvania's economy, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.

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