WEST CHESTER — The Chester County Commissioners just lately authorized a $156,000 contract with Luzerne County-based Heritage Strategies LLC to bolster historic tourism within the county.
“Our historic tourism sector of the financial system was broken by the pandemic,” stated County Commissioners’ Chair Marian Moskowitz. “The plan right here requires our marketing consultant to assist us rebuild the misplaced tourism, particularly as we lead up to, and put together for Chester County’s celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.”
The Delaware Valley Regional Finance Authority is offering the funding as a part of the County’s VISTA2025 financial growth technique, a public-private partnership. The premise of VISTA 2025 is that progress and preservation are complementary components that help financial well being whereas sustaining the “sense of place” that makes Chester County so enticing to residents and companies.
“Our Chester County Planning Commission is partnering with the Chester County History Center, the Heritage Task Force, Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, and America250PA Chester County Commission to enhance capability and advertising of customer websites,” famous County Commissioner Josh Maxwell. “Heritage Strategies has demonstrated expertise in heritage interpretation and advertising, and we’re assured that they’ll deliver these teams collectively to develop a complete program that gives sturdy experiences for guests.”
Working with these teams, Heritage Strategies will lead a multi-faceted effort that features:
• Improved interpretation of present websites of historic and cultural assets of web sites of great significance;
• Creation of recent facilities for info to inform the county’s full story;
• Better outlined routing to enhance connectivity to these assets; and
• Marketing methods to goal audiences that will increase the variety of guests.
County Commissioner Michelle Kichline, who’s main the county’s America250 semiquincentennial commemoration, stated the overarching purpose of this undertaking is creation of a complete plan that may proceed to help heritage tourism effectively into the long run.
“The plan will give us clearer course for the 250th celebration, and it’ll additionally encourage ongoing funding into the upkeep and preservation of historic entities, creating neighborhood delight within the distinctive historical past and identification of Chester County,” Kichline stated.
Work on the plan will start instantly. The Chester County Planning Commission estimates it is going to take about 18 months to full.
“The first yr will entail conducting a wants evaluation of present circumstances and making a capability constructing plan,” stated Brian O’Leary, Executive Director of the Chester County Planning Commission. “The remaining six months of the plan’s growth will deal with a locational evaluation, touring routes, and wayfinding in addition to a advertising plan.”
Heritage Strategies is a collaboration of three long-time colleagues whose cross-sectoral specialties embody the fields of planning, panorama structure, and structure—all targeted on historic preservation and heritage growth.
https://www.dailylocal.com/2022/07/19/chester-county-officials-approve-contract-to-bolster-tourism/
