Tourism board makes strides

Cumberland County officials are mobilizing their own fledgling tourism bureau, despite the initial reservations of some local business owners.

Since Cumberland pulled out of the Hershey-Capital Region Visitors Bureau in January, county officials printed a new county tourism brochure, appointed

The county's decision to integrate tourism and economic development was modeled after tourism bureaus in Clinton County and other states, including Maryland and Virginia. Also, Gov. Ed Rendell has made it clear that tourism is one of the state's top economic engines, Wendt said.

"We really believe this is the model for the future," Wendt said.

While Cumberland County officials are convinced their new tourism board will bring more attention to the county, some area business owners are not so sure. But critics and proponents of the county's controversial withdrawal from a regional tourism board now say they will support the new bureau.

"When the decision was made, I did not support the split. I sit right on the fence between Dauphin and Cumberland counties," said Tom Dickert, general manager of the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel & Convention Center in East Pennsboro Township. "I think initially there is going to be some (business) loss."

The 250-room hotel gets much of its business from the overflow of tourists and conventions in Dauphin County. Dickert, who is on the Cumberland County tourism board of directors, worries the agency will not be able to provide the same level of promotion.

"I want this to succeed. It has to," Dickert said.

Barbara Marbain, owner of Homestay Bed & Breakfast in Monroe Township, said local businesses' reaction to the county's split from the regional bureau has been mixed.

"I'll be happy with the break if we can pull it all together now. That question hasn't been answered yet," said Marbain, another tourism board member.

Some Cumberland business owners might be unfamiliar with the details of the county's plan, but they agreed they want it to work.

"I've not been involved with the politics of it, but we have to move forward. We have to get past the controversy," said Jere Heinze, coowner of Allenberry Resort inn & Playhouse in Monroe Township.

Heinze is pleased the majority of the boar& members represent the hotel industry because much of the funding for the tourism board will come from a room tax on county hotel rooms.

"We ought to be represented since we're contributing the lion's share of the funds," said Heinze, who wants the county to employ experienced tourism officials to promote the area.

Jeff Goss, owner of Market Cross Pub in Carlisle, was pleased the county pulled out of the Hershey-Capital bureau.

"With the bigger venue, we got lost a little bit," said Goss, who opened a second Market Cross in Shippensburg last year.

Goss also hopes the county can piggyback off the tourism efforts of surrounding communities, such as Gettysburg and Hershey.

"I think over the long haul we'll be better off because we'll have a local focus," Goss said, Dee Fegan, owner of Pheasant Field Bed & Breakfast in Middlesex Township, is a member of the board of Hershey-Capital Region Visitors Bureau. She opposed Cumberland's break from the regional group at several municipal meetings. She believes the county has far to go to be as effective as the HersheyCapital bureau, but she is trying to remain positive.

"I'm hopeful for both HersheyCapital and Cumberland County I have to be hopeful for Cumberland because that's where I am. I want to work with them, and I need to work with them," Fegan said.