Sen. Yudichak, Luzerne County Visitors Bureau celebrate DCED funding

State Sen. John Yudichak (I-Luzerne/Carbon) joined Luzerne County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Alan Stout and Luzerne County Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo Wednesday to celebrate a $250,000 grant for tourism the Visitors Bureau received.

The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) grant was awarded through the Marketing to Attract Tourists grant program.

The senator’s office said that tourism in Luzerne County has a tremendous economic impact, generating more than $1 billion in a typical year and supporting more than 7,000 jobs.

“The success of the tourism industry in Luzerne County is essential to continuing the historic economic growth and development that is currently unfolding in northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Senator Yudichak. “I was determined to help the Visitors Bureau secure this funding to support their promotional and marketing efforts to bring more people to our beautiful region. As we continue to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must continue to invest in job creation and retention, and tourism is an important industry that will assist northeastern Pennsylvania in advancing forward to an even more prosperous economic future.”

The grant will be used to market the area through a two-sided outdoor LED sign outside of the Convention and Visitors Bureau Center on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard to promote events in the county; new branding and marketing material for the Visitors Bureau, as well as marketing campaigns on digital and social platforms; and photography, videography, and website upgrade to be used in various advertising campaigns to increase tourism.

“We appreciate and we are grateful for Sen. Yudichak’s support of the Visitors Bureau. This grant will help us promote tourism in Luzerne County through new and expanded marketing initiatives. It will also, with new, large digital signage purchased because of the grant, help promote the location of our new visitors center and thus, on a daily basis, will help promote upcoming events and activities in Luzerne County,” Stout said. “The economic impact that tourism has in Luzerne County is significant, and it’s great to have a senator that understands that. This grant will help support the tourism industry while also promoting all of the wonderful things to see and do here in our region.”