The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board sought to understand the economic impact of increased tourism in Montgomery County in 2026, driven by significant events such as the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, the FIFA World Cup games, the 50th anniversary of Valley Forge as a national park, and the PGA Championship, in addition to other major sporting events and regional attractions set to occur. The primary challenge was to estimate the additional visitor spending and its economic impact on the county and the surrounding region.
- Baseline Establishment: ESI started with an assessment of the current annual tourism economic activity level in the Greater Philadelphia region and Montgomery County, estimating typical growth trends to set a baseline for 2026.
- Scenario Modeling: ESI developed regional scenarios of additional visitor activity, including a 20% increase in regional visitor spending over the baseline.
- Spending Allocation: ESI also allocated historic shares of visitor spending between suburban counties, adjusting for county-specific factors based on major events in 2026.
- Economic Impact Modeling: ESI modeled the additional economic impact for Montgomery County, considering both direct and spillover effects from increased regional spending.
Key Findings: In the 20% increase scenario, Montgomery County is estimated to capture $87 million of additional visitor spending, representing a 7% increase above the standard growth rate for 2026. Combined with an additional $460 million from increased spending in surrounding counties, the total economic impact in 2026 is estimated at $2.5 billion in total output, supporting more than 16,000 jobs with $860 million in compensation.
Impact on Client Decision-Making: The results provided insights for planning and resource allocation, helping the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board to prepare for the anticipated increase in tourism.
ESI has enjoyed ongoing collaboration with the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board, as well as with other tourism boards in the Greater Philadelphia Region, to monitor the estimated additional impacts of 2026, with plans to monitor the long-term impacts of increased tourism and develop follow-up projects to sustain economic growth.
