The Chester County commissioners recently approved a $156,000 contract with Luzerne County-based Heritage Strategies to bolster historic tourism in the county. The plan is intended to help rebuild lost tourism due to the pandemic, especially as Chester County prepares for the celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026.

The Delaware Valley Regional Finance Authority is providing the funding as part of the county's VISTA2025 economic development strategy, a public-private partnership. The premise of VISTA2025 is that progress and preservation are complementary elements that support economic health while maintaining the sense of place that makes Chester County attractive to residents and businesses.

The Chester County Planning Commission is partnering with Chester County History Center, the Heritage Task Force, Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, and America250PA Chester County Commission to increase capacity and marketing of visitor sites. The overarching goal of this project is the creation of a comprehensive plan that will continue to support heritage tourism in the future.

Working with the aforementioned groups, Heritage Strategies will lead a multi-faceted effort that includes improved interpretation of existing sites of historic and cultural resources; creation of new centers for information to tell the county's full story; better defined routing to increase connectivity to these resources; and marketing strategies to target audiences with the goal of increasing the number of visitors.

Work on the plan will begin immediately. The Chester County Planning Commission estimates it will take about 18 months to complete.

To learn more, contact Rebecca Brain at 610-344-6279 or rbrain@chesco.org.