Del. tourism data shows record-breaking growth
An economic impact of $3-billion, a home rental market of more than $1-billion, and more visitors than ever before. 2014 was very good to Delaware tourism.
It appears visitors to the area helped generate $470-million dollars for state and local government. To put that in perspective, that revenue saved individual taxpayers more than $1,000. The state’s gains in tourism also apparently helped get Delawareans back to work accounting for 41,000 jobs.
We’re told visitors from Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Washington D.C. and Harrisburg accounted for 75% of the state’s tourists in 2014.
“Delaware is getting a real good reputation for being a great place to visit, that we have a lot for people to do,” and “I think 2015 will come is as good or better,” said Linda Parkowski, the Director of the Delaware Tourism Office.
In 2015, the state benefited from a trio of music festivals Firefly, Big Barrel and Junction. Which is why Parkowski says that it’s possible that 2015 numbers could surpass 2014’s record-setting figures.
As for 2016, that festival trio, will likely be back to a solo act. In late January the company behind Big Barrel announced the event would not be coming back and officials say they’re not anticipating Junction coming back either. Even so, Parkowski says Delaware has something else driving tourism. She told 47 ABC, “alcohol tourism, craft breweries in Delaware are extremely popular. People are traveling to experience that within our state,”
In Sussex County it’s often all about the beaches, but Scott Thomas of Southern Delaware Tourism says non-traditional tourist destinations are gaining steam. “It’s expanding. We’re seeing visitation slowly grow in the central part of the county now in places like Georgetown. A lot of that is due to the sports market, we have sports teams coming here, expanded schedules,” said Thomas.
Thomas also tells us he believes Sussex County tourism will continue to grow as long as the economy keeps rebounding and visitors in surrounding metro areas keep coming. He says right now, his office is focusing on attracting more business meetings and retreat groups to Sussex County.
