Gettysburg tourism observes increase in tourist numbers on its 150th anniversary

Visitation to Adams County, Pa. increased by 12.12 percent in 2013, a year in which the destination commemorated the 150th anniversary of both the Battle of Gettysburg and President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

The increase over 2012 brought the annual visitation to the county to 3.78 million people.

“We are proud of these numbers,” said Norris Flowers, President of Destination Gettysburg, formerly the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. “But, at the same time, we know that the tourism community must work hard to keep visitation strong in Adams County after the 150th anniversary.”

Over the course of the past several years, visitation has steadily increased in Adams County since a nationwide economic downturn impacted tourism across the United States in 2009 and 2010.

2010 3.09 million

2011 3.17 million

2012 3.4 million

2013 3.78 million

Visitation to Adams County, Pa., is calculated by the California University of Pennsylvania’s Tourism Research Center, a group used by Destination Gettysburg since 2007.

“Last year, our greatest challenge was spreading the visitation out of the course of the entire year, and not just the 10-day commemoration from June 28 through July 7, and again on Nov. 19 for the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address,” said Flowers.

During the summer’s sesquicentennial commemoration – when more than 400 events were held over 10 days – the visitation is estimated at 235,000. On Nov. 19, the number of visitors is estimated at about 10,000.

Destination Gettysburg (formerly, the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau), the official destination marketing organization, markets Gettysburg – Adams County as a premier travel destination, producing a positive economic impact.