VisitPITTSBURGH Celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week
Annual Occasion Coincides with Start of Busy Travel Season in Allegheny County
PITTSBURGH – VisitPITTSBURGH stands alongside hundreds of cities, states and travel- and tourism-related businesses nationwide in celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) May 1-7.
Powered by the U.S. Travel Association, this special week annually spotlights and celebrates the collective strength of the nation’s travel and tourism industry. This year, NTTW spotlights the critical role that travel will play in driving economic growth and building an industry-wide path forward through the theme Future of Travel.
“Prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic, travel and tourism in Allegheny County was a $6.5 billion industry employing nearly 44,000 residents,” VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO Jerad Bachar said. “VisitPITTSBURGH is actively helping rebuild our local industry by continuing to tell the Pittsburgh story. Daily, our teams are out sharing and telling the Pittsburgh story to sports event planners, meeting planners and leisure travelers to bring them into the region.”
Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to underscore the economic power of travel in the U.S. The week also coincides with the start of the nation’s busy travel season, a sentiment that holds true in Allegheny County, too.
According to Tourism Economics’ latest forecasts, hotel occupancy throughout Allegheny County is forecasted to average anywhere between 60.5% - 72.6% this summer (May-August), a growth over the actual 2021 summer occupancy average of 55.1%.
“This is the summer for friends, family and colleagues to reconnect, and there’s no better place to do so than in Pittsburgh,” VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO Jerad Bachar said. “Pittsburgh is located within 700 miles of 57% of the U.S. population, making our destination an attractive option for visitors looking to travel on one tank of gas or less. And, U.K. visitors will regain easy access to Pittsburgh this summer when the British Airways direct flight between London Heathrow and Pittsburgh International Airport launches on June 3.”
Leisure travel will continue to fuel the travel and tourism rebound across the region. From world-class accommodations to endless outdoor activities, exciting public events and festivals, engaging cultural offerings, an award-winning food scene and so much more, Only in Pittsburgh attractions and experiences continue to be an exciting draw for visitors.
In addition to leisure travel, major annual sports events, like this weekend’s DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, continue to return to the region. The 2022 Marathon Weekend is expected to draw nearly 32,000 visitors from across all 50 states and 11 countries, producing an estimated visitor spend of $11.6 million.
Large business events are also increasingly returning to Pittsburgh. In fact, AISTech 2022, Steel’s Premier Technology Event, returns to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center May 16-19, bringing with it nearly 6,000 attendees, 40% of which will be arriving through Pittsburgh International Airport. And, Anthrocon 2022 is just two months away.
To learn more about NTTW, please visit ustravel.org/NTTW.
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