Discover Lancaster shares further increase in tourism figures for 2023 and highlights “New for ‘24” items, including Farm Adventure Trail

(Lancaster, Pa.)  Discover Lancaster released its 2023 tourism economic impact report today – showing further industry increases over 2022 – and highlighted some of what’s new for tourism in 2024, including its just-unveiled Lancaster County Farm Adventure Trail.

 “We’re very pleased to see that Lancaster County tourism continued to grow last year, off a huge 2022,” noted Edward Harris, president/CEO of Discover Lancaster, the county’s official destination marketing organization.

 Conducted by the respected analysis firm Tourism Economics, highlights of the report include:

 --  An estimated 9.92 million visitors to Lancaster County who directly spent $2.58 billion in 2023, representing gains of 1.5% and 4.3%, respectively, over 2022.

 --  This visitor spending supported 25,679 county jobs in total, including 16,922 direct industry jobs.  These figures both grew by 2-3% last year and keep tourism in the Top 10 largest non-agriculture private sector employers in the county.

With lodging and website figures from this year’s first quarter up versus the same period in 2023, the organization is hopeful that 2024 will be a solid year as well, highlighted by several new products & experiences coming online, including its brand-new Lancaster County Farm Adventure Trail.

The mobile-based agritourism trail runs through November 3rd and is a fun way to explore ‘round the county via its approximately 30 stops, from farm-to-table restaurants to farm-themed attractions to roadside stands.  Trail users are eligible for special onsite offers, can redeem points for branded prizes from Discover Lancaster, and can make an optional donation to the Lancaster Farmland Trust to help preserve the area’s agricultural heritage.

Sight & Sound Theatres’ new original production “Daniel,” which debuted in mid-March and runs through December, is expected to drive visitation with its inspiring story of faith-filled hope triumphing over adversity, from a fiery furnace to the infamous den of lions. 

And the best professional female golfers in the world return to Lancaster Country Club in late May for the U.S. Women’s Open – a well-deserved follow-up to the tournament’s last, record-setting visit in 2015. 

In addition, Discover Lancaster is promoting fresh area offerings like:

    the soon-expected return of the beloved Hershey Farm Resort following a complete rebuild of its restaurant that will feature an enhanced Grand Smorgasbord and new dining options like a café 

    the 95th anniversary of Miller’s Smorgasbord – oldest one in the county – plus the 70th anniversary of Kitchen Kettle Village and the 40th anniversary of Refreshing Mountain Retreat & Adventure Center

    Decades’ new mezzanine balcony area with additional games & dining space, as well as a new outdoor patio & bar slated to open in the near future

    the first full year of events at the Barn at Paradise Station, a beautifully-restored and technologically-enhanced 19th century Pennsylvania Bank Barn

    The Inn at Leola Village’s prestigious 2024 Forbes 4-star rating for its lodging & spa, and Bistro Barberet & Bakery’s first-in-the-U.S. designation as a “World’s French Restaurant”

Lancaster County is a wonderful blend of urban style and rural splendor, with many rich cultures, from the Amish to the arts. Visit us at www.DiscoverLancaster.com.