Marketing boost: Somerset County businesses awarded tourism grants

David Hurst, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·3 min read

Dec. 7—CHAMPION, Pa. — When Forbes Trail Brewing opened in July in Shade Township, the upstart microbrewery's founders often let their beer do the talking, partner John Maurizio said.

Now, almost six months later, the business, located along U.S. Route 30, is planning to fill its schedule — and its pint glasses — with new reasons to draw in both locals and tourists next year. That includes special releases aged in bourbon barrels, live music and a Mardi Gras party, he said.

"I think businesses like ours are a great support to tourism," he said. "When people travel here, they'll stay an extra day to visit breweries and wineries. Our hope is to create new reasons to bring people in."

On Wednesday, Forbes Trail Brewing was one of 40 tourism-focused Somerset County organizations that received some extra help from Somerset County's Annual Tourism Grant Program in accomplishing that task.

A total of nearly $518,000, generated by Somerset County's lodging tax, was awarded to nonprofits, businesses and tourism groups to help them market themselves across the state and beyond.

The total was an increase of nearly 12% over the amount handed out through the program in 2021.

"I am excited to see over $500,000 being infused back into the tourism base," GO Laurel Highlands Executive Director Ann Nemanic said, crediting Somerset County's commissioners for supporting the program.

Pennsylvania counties have the authority to enact a dedicated tax to support tourism. Somerset County set the rate of its hotel tax, which is paid by each person who checks into a hotel room or other lodging property in the county, at 5% to support the tourism grant fund and trail maintenance in 2018.

This year's grant recipients included lodging providers, destinations such as Jennerstown Speedway and Quecreek Mine Rescue Site, and shops and supporting businesses that operate near those destinations.

Jennerstown Speedway ($89,000) and Mountain Ridge Trails Resort ($60,072) were among the recipients of the largest grants — each of them planning to target crowds through multi-faceted marketing campaigns.

Confluence Tourism Association President Suzanne Lentz said that her organization has been around for decades, but because of the existing costs to staff and promote the mission, specialized advertising would likely be out of reach without tourism grants. This year, association leaders plan to market Confluence as a Great Allegheny Passage trail stop in American Cycling Association's Adventure Cyclist magazine.

"I don't know if we'd be able to do things like this without the program's help," she said, calling the grant a huge benefit. "It allows us to reach a target audience ... of outdoor enthusiasts."

Somerset County Commissioner Colleen Dawson noted that the program's benefits have a countywide reach. She encouraged organizations that share the same communities — or target the same tourists — to find creative, collaborative ways to use future dollars.

"Think big," she said. "We want you to continue to market Somerset County and all we have to offer here."