Tourism bureau retooled, revived

The Hershey-Capital Region Visitors Bureau, which lost two of its five member counties last year, is ready for a comeback.

That merits another new name. This would be the third name in 32 months for the tourism-promotion agency.

The Hershey-Harrisburg Region Visitors Bureau would consist

of Dauphin and Perry counties, said Nick DiFrancesco, a Dauphin County commissioner. Cumberland and Lebanon counties pulled out in 2004 and opted to manage tourism promotion on their own. Franklin County plans to withdraw from the bureau Dec. 3 1, although it might contract with the bureau for certain projects, said John Hart, chief clerk of Franklin County.

"We have made a decision to separate, but we still want to work very closely with each other," he said.

Dauphin County officials plan to re-launch the bureau Nov. 16, the day of the bureau's annual meeting with its member hotels and businesses. The new board would be made up of representatives from Dauphin and Perry counties, Harrisburg, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and hospitality businesses.

The regional bureau had a staff of 11. For the past year, the bureau has limped along with only two full-time staff members. Greg Cook, sales manager, continued to handle sports marketing and group sales. Carly Cobb, a sales assistant, booked reservations. Barry Wickes, the acting director, handled administrative work while balancing his fulltime job as president of the Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association.

Joe Massaro, chairman of the bureau's board of directors, is not sure what the budget would be for next year. The bureau would get $255,750 in state funding for 2006. Massaro said he is not sure how much additional money the bureau would collect through membership fees and its relationship with Franklin County.

The bureau is unlikely to re-open a visitors center, Massaro said. The board wants the bureau to focus on reaching customers through its visitors guide, group sales and reservation services.

Massaro praised Dauphin County and Harrisburg officials for helping to revive the bureau. He also praised the support of member businesses in Central Pennsylvania.

"What has been frustrating is that county governments have pulled away,'' said Massaro, who is hotel manager of Hilton Harrisburg.

The bureau plans to market destinations in Cumberland County, despite the county's resignation from the regional tourism bureau. DiFrancesco said Cumberland County events, such as Carlisle's car shows, produce a lot of hotel business for Dauphin County

"Dauphin County benefits when we market things in Cumberland County," he said. "Quite honestly, I won't let borders stand in the way."

Tourism officials in Cumberland County agree, said W. Douglas Wendt, executive director of the county's office of economic development. The county opened its own visitors center Nov. 9. The center will promote the regional Dutch Country Roads initiative, which encourages road trips through Central Pennsylvania. In addition, Cumberland County has been working with groups in Harrisburg and Franklin County to promote Civil War heritage, Wendt said.