STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Tourism has always been big business in the Poconos but now it’s growing faster than ever, and experts say that’s helping everyone who lives in the region.
The most recent data available from the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) showed the Pocono region is the fastest-growing tourism region in the state. The number of people who visit has grown by more than 3 million in the last five years. Resorts like Kalahari and Camelback helped draw the record-breaking crowds.
PMVB President and CEO Chris Barrett noted, “The revenue that these jobs and these properties actually create means less revenue that I as a taxpayer or someone else as a taxpayer has to pay for services.”
Visitor spending supports a quarter of all jobs in the Poconos. Barrett said without the income from Pocono Resorts, every person who lives in the region would have to pay $1,500 a year to maintain the same level of community services.
Experts expect the tourism growth trend will continue as the Pocono region will soon welcome more tourist attractions including Pocono Springs, an entertainment and shopping complex.