Progress
Highlighted Updates
Q3 2025
NE.1 Promote Pittsburgh’s Neighborhood & Diverse Local Heritage
Develop neighborhood itineraries and blogs to highlight unique heritage features of various neighborhoods across the destination
In August, VisitPITTSBURGH launched our Neighborhood Tourism Readiness Index and Destination Assessment. We are currently working with neighborhood organizations and business chambers to complete destination assessments for all 90 Pittsburgh neighborhoods and will use the information gathered to create a Neighborhood Hub on the VisitPITTSBURGH website to better tell authentic community stories.
AT.2 Support Creation of New Arts/Culture Products and Experiences
Invest in a digitally-enabled, self-guided citywide public art tour with local partners
VisitPITTSBURGH is developing a self-guided walking tour to highlight the public mural art around the city, in collaboration with local arts organizations.
AA.3 Promote the Experiences and Attractions Honoring the Impact and Influence of Black Culture
Curate a collection of immersive African American Tourism experiences to market
Recently, VisitPITTSBURGH worked with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center to develop and market “Explore August Wilson’s Pittsburgh”, a campaign highlighting key offerings of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and the ‘August Wilson Pilgrammage’ — an essential experience for fans of the playwright’s works, literature and arts & culture travelers.
CB.2 Create and Promote Craft Beverage Events and Experiences
Support the exploration and creation of a cycling event that incorporates Pittsburgh Brewers Guild trail
Through the VisitPITTSBURGH Festivals & Cultural Events Fund, we were able to sponsor Pedal PGH 2025, the largest annual cycling event by Bike Pittsburgh. This year, Bike Pittsburgh worked with the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild to highlight local breweries at the end of the event.
GO.1 Build Organizational Capacity and Collaborations with Industry Partners
Develop a reporting method to communicate TDP related updates with community stakeholders
This will be the new home for quarterly updates for the Ten-Year Tourism Development Plan. Check back here for more information! If you have questions regarding specific projects, please reach out to Elaine Zedack, Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives at elaine.zedack@visitpittsburgh.com.
Experiences
Accomodations
AC.1 Guide Hotel Development Opportunities
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Guide Hotel Development Opportunities
Improvements in the quality of existing hotels and the addition of new supply that better serve traveler needs are essential components to improve Pittsburgh as a tourism destination. As such, it is important that Pittsburgh continue to support the growth of rooms in quality hotel developments across the city, particularly in key visitor supporting neighborhoods such as Downtown, Oakland, East Allegheny/Historic Deutschtown, and the Strip District.
ACTIONS
- Support the exploration and development of a convention center hotel
- Incentivize renovations of existing downtown full-service hotel inventory
- Continue support of office-to-hotel or short-term rental conversion incentives by City, County, and Commonwealth
- Endorse/support multi-use development plans that include hotels to complement other opportunities such as new transit corridors, entertainment districts, and sports and recreation venues.
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Support the exploration and development of a convention center hotel
Status: Pending Timeline: 7-10 Years -
Incentivize renovations of existing downtown full-service hotel inventory
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Continue support of office-to-hotel or short-term rental conversion incentives by City, County, and Commonwealth
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Endorse/support multi-use development plans that include hotels to complement other opportunities such as new transit corridors, entertainment districts, and sports and recreation venues.
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
AC.2 Diversify Lodging Options
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Diversify Lodging Options
With the rise—and staying power—of remote work and bleisure travel, destinations are positioning themselves to capture the demand from visitors who have the flexibility to work from anywhere with a good wi-fi connection. More workers who travel for conferences and conventions are also choosing to extend their trips by one or more days to explore the destination’s offerings. Lifestyle/boutique hotels, with their unique designs and personalized amenities and services, provide a welcome range of choices for such visitors. Currently, short-term rentals have a larger presence in secondary visitor-supporting neighborhoods such as Liberty/Highland Park, and South Side Flats. Given that these neighborhoods have no/low inventory of hotel rooms, Pittsburgh has a prime opportunity to close the service gap by increasing the supply of lodging through short-term rentals - primarily for leisure travelers.
ACTIONS
- Support lifestyle/boutique hotel development to meet business traveler demand and expectations
- Adopt flexible zoning and regulatory codes to allow for owner-occupied short-term rentals in most neighborhoods
- Establish zones where non-owner occupied short-term rentals may be allowed with the approval of residents
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Support lifestyle/boutique hotel development to meet business traveler demand and expectations
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Adopt flexible zoning and regulatory codes to allow for owner-occupied short-term rentals in most neighborhoods
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Establish zones where non-owner occupied short-term rentals may be allowed with the approval of residents
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years
Neighborhoods
NE.1 Promote Pittsburgh's Neighborhoods and Diverse Local Heritage
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Promote Pittsburgh's Neighborhoods and Diverse Local Heritage
Each of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods offers its own history and legacy, culture, and sets of experiences. Of its over 90 neighborhoods, only about 10% are popular visitor destinations anchored by major sports arenas/stadiums, museums and cultural institutions, parks, and universities. In order to better integrate the City’s diverse neighborhoods with visitor experiences and to increase the visibility of unique attractions and businesses within each neighborhood, Pittsburgh will need to build on its existing ‘Neighborhoods’ content and package itineraries - particularly for neighborhoods that are adjacent to popular visitor destinations such as Strip District-Lawrenceville, Mount Washington-South Side Flats, and Shadyside-East Liberty. In particular, telling unique stories of each neighborhood will also be critical to igniting interest amongst visitors who are unfamiliar with the intricacies of the local neighborhoods and their histories.
ACTIONS
- Develop neighborhood blogs and highlight unique heritage features of various neighborhoods across the destination
- Promote VisitPITTSBURGH "Submit Your Events" page to fill events calendar throughout year
- Create a neighborhood events co-op marketing program
- Create a local marketing campaign and rewards program to incentivize drive market visitors to return to Pittsburgh
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Develop neighborhood blogs and highlight unique heritage features of various neighborhoods across the destination
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Promote VisitPITTSBURGH "Submit Your Events" page to fill events calendar throughout year
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Create a neighborhood events co-op marketing program
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Create a local marketing campaign and rewards program to incentivize drive market visitors to return to Pittsburgh
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years
African American Heritage
AA.1 Build Relationships With African-American Tourism and Heritage Community
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Build Relationships With African-American Tourism and Heritage Community
Although VisitPITTSBURGH has long been a promoter of various tourism assets centered on Black history in the city, there remains a great opportunity to build deeper partnerships with local partners to ensure better coordination of citywide events and attractions celebrating Black history and culture. As the destination endeavors to further elevate African-American heritage tourism and expand its visitor experiences, it is important to initiate conversations with new and old partners throughout the city to better understand their operating and marketing needs and perspectives.
ACTIONS
- Form African-American Tourism Advisory Council and organize biannual meetings
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Form African-American Tourism Advisory Council and organize biannual meetings
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
AA.2 Create and Expand African-American Heritage Assets
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Create and Expand African-American Heritage Assets
Between the underground railroad sites spread across the County, the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, and iconic community events celebrating Black excellence in music, arts, and craft brew, Pittsburgh is a year-round destination for Black cultural experiences and for exploring the rich depth of American Black history. With input from members of the African-American Tourism Advisory Council (see above recommendation), VisitPITTSBURGH should provide financial support and technical resources to partners in order to expand offerings centered on African-American history and culture. This may include an adaptation of the existing Emerging Festivals & Cultural Events grant program and a new grants and technical assistance program for tour operators and asset managers to further develop/expand African American tourism experiences, including tours, exhibitions/galleries, and cultural or historical sites.
ACTIONS
- Expand community events that celebrate African American history and culture across the city
- Support an African American experience development program
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Expand community events that celebrate African American history and culture across the city
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Support an African American experience development program
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years
AA.3 Promote the Experiences and Attractions Honoring the Impact and Influence of Black Culture
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Promote the Experiences and Attractions Honoring the Impact and Influence of Black Culture
Despite its rich depth and breadth of black history, African American experiences were among the least recognized features in the city amongst visitors surveyed, likely due to limited awareness and knowledge of what’s on offer in the destination. To heighten the visibility of existing assets and to encourage visitors to spend time exploring the City’s Black history and culture across various museums, monuments/sites, and Black-owned businesses, Pittsburgh will need to invest in marketing campaigns and visitor incentive programs that lower barriers to participation for visitors.
ACTIONS
- Support the creation of an immersive African American Tourism experiences to market
- Create rewards program for visitors participating in African American tourism
- Curate an itinerary showcasing Black culture and heritage sites
CASE STUDIES
Louisville Tourism “Black Heritage Tour Collection”
The Black Heritage Tour Collection highlights the African American influence in the bourbon and horse racing industries of Kentucky. In partnership with local attractions, Louisville Tourism has created a set of immersive experiences including tours, tastings, and performances across various assets - telling the stories of key historical figures from the City.
South Carolina “Green Book”
In 2013, South Carolina African American Heritage Commission created a “Green Book” mobile app that included 300 historic African-American sites in the state. The app, named for the Jim Crow-era guides for black travelers that detailed safe places to get food and lodging, enabled visitors to participate on self-guided tours of existing heritage monuments.
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Support the creation of an immersive African American Tourism experiences to market
Status: Completed Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Create rewards program for visitors participating in African American tourism
Status: Pending Timeline: 7-10 Years -
Curate an itinerary showcasing Black culture and heritage sites
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
LGBTQIA+
L+.1 Position Pittsburgh as an Inclusive and Welcoming Destination for LGBTQ+ Travelers
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Position Pittsburgh as an Inclusive and Welcoming Destination for LGBTQ+ Travelers
According to a 2022 Booking.Com survey of American LGBTQIA+ travelers, 67 percent reported they are more likely to travel to a place that celebrates the local LGBTQIA+ community. As such, it is important for destination management organizations to build a strong image of themselves as a queer-inclusive destination through marketing campaigns, as well as develop queer-friendly experiences with the support of local LGBTQIA+ leaders and allies who know the community best.
ACTIONS
- Develop a marketing campaign for Pittsburgh as an LGBTQ+-friendly destination
- Curate a collection of unique LGBTQ+ experiences
- Co-sponsor and support Pride Week events across the city’s neighborhoods
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Develop a marketing campaign for Pittsburgh as an LGBTQ+-friendly destination
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Curate a collection of unique LGBTQ+ experiences
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Co-sponsor and support Pride Week events across the city’s neighborhoods
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
L+.2 Improve Industry Knowledge and Resources of Inclusive Services
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Improve Industry Knowledge and Resources of Inclusive Services
To create a welcoming destination for LGBTQIA travelers, it is critical for VisitPITTSBURGH and its partners across the industry to first build knowledge and skills internally of inclusive and safe practices in hospitality. Common challenges reported by queer travelers nationally include guest association stereotypes and assumptions of pronouns or misgendering. Tackling these issues will require partnerships with cultural awareness and DEI experts with established curricula and resources, as well as commitment from internal staff and frontline employees who are often the first points of contact for many queer travelers.
ACTIONS
- Participate in the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association
- Work with partners to offer hospitality staff training program to provide inclusive service
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Participate in the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Work with partners to offer hospitality staff training program to provide inclusive service
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
Arts & Culture
AT.1 Expand Promotion and Marketing of Pittsburgh's Arts & Culture
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Expand Promotion and Marketing of Pittsburgh's Arts & Culture
When benchmarked against competitive destinations such as Cincinnati and Louisville, Pittsburgh’s large and interesting inventory of museums ranks 4th, indicating an advantage in institutional art. In fact, many of its museums play host to roaming exhibitions by world-renowned artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Dale Chihuly. While these anchor attractions have strong marketing campaigns and initiatives to promote visitation individually, there is an opportunity to support cross-visitation between museums and galleries through a city-wide ‘culture pass’. Some of the world’s leading cultural destinations such as New York, London, and Paris offer visitors savings on electronic tickets to multiple museums
ACTIONS
- Create a Pittsburgh Attractions Pass
- Connect relevant stakeholders who could package different types of cultural experiences together
- Develop an annual marketing plan in coordination with major arts and culture partners across the destination
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Create a Pittsburgh Attractions Pass
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Connect relevant stakeholders who could package different types of cultural experiences together
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years -
Develop an annual marketing plan in coordination with major arts and culture partners across the destination
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years
AT.2 Support Creation of New Arts/Culture Products and Experiences
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Support Creation of New Arts/Culture Products and Experiences
According to a community survey conducted as part of the destination master planning process, local respondents shared that access to arts and culture is an important factor when choosing to live in Pittsburgh. In order to retain residents and workers in the region, in addition to attracting new regional visitors, Pittsburgh will need to expand its selection of cultural events and festivals throughout the calendar year. In particular, stakeholders shared that the city’s historic architecture and fast-growing collection of public art remain untapped assets for cultural tourism.
ACTIONS
- Support development of new entertainment and sports venues
- Partner with Open Doors and various key architectural sites/buildings to create an ‘Open House’ weekend/festival
- Invest in a digitally-enabled, self-guided citywide public art tour with local partners
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Support development of new entertainment and sports venues
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Partner with Open Doors and various key architectural sites/buildings to create an ‘Open House’ weekend/festival
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Invest in a digitally-enabled, self-guided citywide public art tour with local partners
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years
AT.3 Promote the Newly Defined Pop District
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Promote the Newly Defined Pop District
The Warhol Museum, located on the North Shore of Pittsburgh and one of four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, holds the most extensive permanent collection of art and archives from the native pop art icon Andy Warhol. Since its opening in 1994, it has grown not only as a cultural destination but an economic engine and educational hub - offering K-12 programs and training for teachers and arts educators and supporting nearly 100 jobs on-site. In its next phase, the institution plans to extend its programs and offerings beyond its four walls and into the district at-large with a facility expansion that includes “a new 40,000SF live performance and event facility, a six square- block public art initiative, and a scalable workforce development program focused on creative economy training for diverse, regional youth.” This new arts campus will serve to reinforce Pittsburgh’s identity as a cultural destination and drive new excitement to the City’s North Shore.
ACTIONS
- Support the development of Catalyst Project “The POP District”
- Support enhanced streetscape improvements between the POP District and the Cultural District Downtown, including supporting renovations at Allegheny Riverfront Park and restoration of the upper promenade at Allegheny Riverfront Park
- Develop marketing campaign to connect new POP District and Cultural District Downtown
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Support the development of Catalyst Project “The POP District”
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Support enhanced streetscape improvements between the POP District and the Cultural District Downtown, including supporting renovations at Allegheny Riverfront Park and restoration of the upper promenade at Allegheny Riverfront Park
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Develop marketing campaign to connect new POP District and Cultural District Downtown
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
Culinary
CU.1 Create and Promote Diverse Culinary Events and Experiences
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Create and Promote Diverse Culinary Events and Experiences
Visitors often experience cities by indulging in local cuisines. However, trying new foods in new places can be intimidating. Pittsburgh should work closely with partners in the culinary industry and local business chambers (including the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Midwest USA Chinese Chamber of Commerce) to highlight the unique dining experiences on offer across the destination and help lower barriers to entry in order to encourage visitors - old and new - to step out of their comfort zones and explore Pittsburgh’s wide variety of restaurants. This can be achieved through education and marketing such as having a guided tour or class, or a curated menu and experience.
ACTIONS
- Develop a culinary content hub that highlights diversity of cuisines in the destination, including gastronomic-inspired travel itineraries and stories of all cuisine available on offer
- Support food tour operators (e.g. Burgh Bits and Bites) and the development of self-guided citywide food tours, where current tours are not possible
- Cross market existing major culinary events and festival
- Create a late-night dining campaign and seasonal events
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Develop a culinary content hub that highlights diversity of cuisines in the destination, including gastronomic-inspired travel itineraries and stories of all cuisine available on offer
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Support food tour operators (e.g. Burgh Bits and Bites) and the development of self-guided citywide food tours, where current tours are not possible
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Cross market existing major culinary events and festival
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Create a late-night dining campaign and seasonal events
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years
Craft Beverage
CB.1 Increase Connectivity Between Craft Beverage Assets
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Increase Connectivity Between Craft Beverage Assets
The Pittsburgh Brewery Guide takes visitors on a guided journey through the destinations over 38 Pittsburgh Brewers Guild member breweries and incentivizes visitors to explore various breweries with rewards and prizes with more frequent visits. While this tool is effective in communicating the full landscape of breweries to visitors, many members of the Guild shared challenges in physical connections between their businesses and facilities that pose barriers to travelers who may not be familiar with navigating the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
ACTIONS
- Pilot a “Hop-on-Hop-off Craft Beverage” shuttle service with local tour operators
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Pilot a “Hop-on-Hop-off Craft Beverage” shuttle service with local tour operators
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
CB.2 Create and Promote Craft Beverage Events and Experiences
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Create and Promote Craft Beverage Events and Experiences
Part of the allure of beer tourism is also the opportunity to engage with locals and experience nightlife in the city. As such, it is critical that Pittsburgh builds on events and activities that closely align with or complement craft beverage experiences. Currently, the Three Rivers Beer Week is the only marquee event consisting of entertainment, performances, and pop-up food experiences at participating breweries, drawing thousands of participants regionally. Its success indicates the latent demand in the market for more cross-brewery activations and large-scale events and festivals to support traffic to businesses in the industry.
ACTIONS
- Support the exploration and creation of a cycling event that incorporates Pittsburgh Brewers Guild trail
- Supporting and growing existing/new craft beverage events and festivals through marketing grants
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Support the exploration and creation of a cycling event that incorporates Pittsburgh Brewers Guild trail
Status: Completed Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Supporting and growing existing/new craft beverage events and festivals through marketing grants
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
Shopping & Entertainment
SE.1 Develop Entertainment Districts
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Develop Entertainment Districts
Entertainment districts are a clever way to collectively brand and market contiguous areas offering a mix of sports, arts, and cultural activities and events. By clustering experiences under a single umbrella identity, visitors are likely to view individual attractions as complementary to one another and to combine visits and tours to various venues at the same time. In doing so, museums and cultural institutions that have lower annual visitation numbers than sporting venues are able to harness trickle-down effects during game days and gain visibility with different audiences. Just as critical to branding and marketing entertainment districts is ensuring that on-the-ground conditions are addressed through capital investments, including visitor safety and connectivity.
ACTIONS
- Support equitable development of catalyst projects “Oakland District” and “Airport Corridor District”
- Work w/ Marketing to develop a distinct brand for Pittsburgh’s Destination Districts
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Support equitable development of catalyst projects “Oakland District” and “Airport Corridor District”
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years -
Work w/ Marketing to develop a distinct brand for Pittsburgh’s Destination Districts
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
SE.2 Grow Family-Friendly Anchor Attractions
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Grow Family-Friendly Anchor Attractions
Pittsburgh ranks 12th for family entertainment. The destination has comparable amenities to peers as it relates to zoos and aquariums and also amusement parks, with Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium and the National Aviary as well as Kennywood Park, but lags behind for fun and games - particularly in downtown Pittsburgh, where large share of hotel rooms are located. In order to be able to keep traveling families entertained in the core of the City, Pittsburgh will need to work closely with property owners to support the entry of a large family-friendly entertainment tenant such as a bowling alley, indoor playground, or mid-sized performing venue.
ACTIONS
- Attract and support downtown anchor entertainment tenants through regulatory and financial incentives
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Attract and support downtown anchor entertainment tenants through regulatory and financial incentives
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years
SE.3 Promote Pittsburgh Nightlife
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Promote Pittsburgh Nightlife
Although Pittsburgh’s spectator sports drive a large share of nighttime activity in the City throughout the year, most of this traffic is confined to stadiums, arenas, and sports bars. Diversifying the nighttime economy will be important to attract a wider range of visitors to the destination, as well as capture a larger share of overnight tourism. This includes investing in the marketing of existing nighttime venues/attractions as well as developing new ones to better reflect the preferences of the different audience segments of visitors to the City - for example, frugal families and active adventurers.
ACTIONS
- Curate a collection of nighttime activities and performances by different audiences
- Develop anchor/large-scale nighttime events
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Curate a collection of nighttime activities and performances by different audiences
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Develop anchor/large-scale nighttime events
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years
SE.4 Highlight Pittsburgh's Unique Shopping Opportunities
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Highlight Pittsburgh's Unique Shopping Opportunities
While the pandemic may have shaken downtown Pittsburgh’s retail mix where 30% of ground-floor retail spaces have become vacant, other neighborhoods across the city and in neighboring counties have emerged as popular shopping destinations. From Squirrel Hill to Lawrenceville, these retail nodes are meeting the preferences of consumers and visitors who are seeking authentic connections with local brands and small businesses.
ACTIONS
- Build on Made in PGH brand and efforts to promote local retail businesses across the City
- Sponsor local seasonal craft market events and pop-ups
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Build on Made in PGH brand and efforts to promote local retail businesses across the City
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Sponsor local seasonal craft market events and pop-ups
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
Outdoor Adventures
OA.1 Increase Visibility of Outdoor Adventures
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Increase Visibility of Outdoor Adventures
One of the most unique features of Pittsburgh is its location at the junction of three rivers - Allegheny River, Monongahela River, and Ohio River. According to industry stakeholders, however, this feature is rarely associated with recreation opportunities and outdoor adventure experiences. Instead, the river is often perceived as a barrier for visitors who more commonly associate the rivers with driving through bridges and tunnels. Changing visitor perceptions will require intentional storytelling that focuses on river adventures - from canoeing to boating and swimming - and its evolution from a 19th-century industrial waterfront to a playful escape in the City. This effort should build on the brand previously developed by RiverLife PGH: “One Experience, Three Destinations: Pittsburgh’s River Rooms”
ACTIONS
- Develop a marketing campaign for river events and riverfront trails
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Develop a marketing campaign for river events and riverfront trails
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years
OA.2 Enhance River Public Access
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Enhance River Public Access
Over the last decade, Pittsburgh has made strides in enhancing public access to the riverfront, including the completion of the Allegheny Riverfront Park and several art activations along Allegheny. The nearly $4.2 billion in riverfront and adjacent investments have increased visibility and awareness of the waterfront, and more importantly, brought communities together. Moving into the next era of the City’s waterfront, it is critical for Pittsburgh to continue supporting the work of partners who are working to improve accessibility to the rivers and the use of the rivers for visitors. This includes ensuring recreational vehicles are able to operate in the river easily and given priority on the banks of the rivers, as well as providing amenities for new tour operators to bring more people onto the waters.
ACTIONS
- Support development of amenities for river users - including boat rental/storage facilities, and river markers
- Improve connectors between river and anchors/landmarks
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Support development of amenities for river users - including boat rental/storage facilities, and river markers
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Improve connectors between river and anchors/landmarks
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years
OA.3 Expand Outdoor Adventure Programs
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Expand Outdoor Adventure Programs
Introducing and familiarizing visitors and local communities with Pittsburgh’s regional parks and waterfronts will require consistent yearly programming and marquee events that create memorable moments for different audiences and drive repeat visitation - particularly for those living in Allegheny County and the region. While local partners such as the Allegheny County Parks Department is able to support and organize programs across various parks and open spaces, events require significant capital and marketing - of which many local groups lack expertise and resources. Working with the local and regional parks systems and waterfront organizations, VisitPITTSBURGH will need to take the lead in building a pipeline of events and programs that align with the various available spaces in the County in order to create a robust calendar of activities centered on outdoor adventures and health & fitness.
ACTIONS
- Identify and engage group tour operators who can offer destination biking, hiking, paddling, or other extended outdoor recreation trips in Allegheny County
- Attract lifestyle events, activities, and business opportunities focused around health, fitness, and living well in regional parks
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Identify and engage group tour operators who can offer destination biking, hiking, paddling, or other extended outdoor recreation trips in Allegheny County
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Attract lifestyle events, activities, and business opportunities focused around health, fitness, and living well in regional parks
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
OA.4 Build a Destination Outdoor Adventure Hub
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Build a Destination Outdoor Adventure Hub
Travelers are increasingly sophisticated and are finding new ways to conduct research on destinations prior to trips. Often, this customer journey begins online and on mobile devices. As such, to successfully capture the spending potential of visitors - especially ones who don’t currently associate Pittsburgh as an outdoor recreation destination, it is important to create a one-stop resource for all tours, activities, and attractions relating to the great outdoors of Allegheny County.
ACTIONS
- Assess the feasibility of a centralized activity booking platform to centralize all activities available in the area.
- Develop a digital hub to book activities
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Assess the feasibility of a centralized activity booking platform to centralize all activities available in the area.
Status: Completed Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Develop a digital hub to book activities
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years
Sports, Meetings, & Events
SM.1 Celebrate Pittsburgh's Sports Heritage
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Celebrate Pittsburgh's Sports Heritage
Sports is part of Pittsburgh’s history, and have been played dating back to the American Civil War. The first professional American football game was also played in the city in 1892. Since then the city has seen great success in baseball, hockey, and American football, and the county been home to multiple sports figures. To this date, both residents and visitors still consider Pittsburgh to be a sports city according to the 2022 VisitPittburgh survey, and the “City of Champions” continues to resonate with some. With three major professional sports franchises (Penguin, Pirates, Steelers) and performing collegiate teams, sports in Pittsburgh goes beyond the game and celebrating it’s history is an opportunity to expand and create new experiences to further connect with residents, visitors, and fans around the world.
ACTIONS
- Build on the City of Champions campaign across all channels and tell the stories of Pittsburgh's legacy athletes
- Develop a sports trail celebrating city's diverse sports legacy and landmark locations
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Build on the City of Champions campaign across all channels and tell the stories of Pittsburgh's legacy athletes
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Develop a sports trail celebrating city's diverse sports legacy and landmark locations
Status: Completed Timeline: 4-6 Years
SM.2 Expand Partnership With Major League Sports Team on Destination Marketing
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Expand Partnership With Major League Sports Team on Destination Marketing
Major league sporting events are important tools in the marketing of destinations. Pittsburgh’s three professional sports stadiums attracted approximately 4 million annual visitors in 2022, with an average of 30% visiting from outside the County’s surrounding area. Game seasons and days bring large volumes of visitors and attract media attention that allows the city to be seen by prospective visitors nationally and likely positioned as a potential vacation destination. With the extensive reach of media broadcasts, Pittsburgh can reshape its narrative to feature its unique events, citizens, and innovations.
ACTIONS
- Develop joint marketing partnerships to attract and retain visitors in Pittsburgh
- Use the platform as a tool to frame a new national narrative about post-industrial Pittsburgh
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Develop joint marketing partnerships to attract and retain visitors in Pittsburgh
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Use the platform as a tool to frame a new national narrative about post-industrial Pittsburgh
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years
SM.3 Enhance Connectivity Between Sports & Entertainment Districts
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Enhance Connectivity Between Sports & Entertainment Districts
Pittsburgh’s two sports and entertainment districts sit on opposite sides of the downtown core and cultural district, and are also separated by the Allegheny River and two freeways. The Northside district has Acrisure Stadium, PNC Park, Carnegie Science Center, Rivers Casino, and StageAE. The Lower Hill district to the east has PPG Paints Arena and plans for additional mixed-use development including an indoor concert venue. The current Metro system stops short of the Lower Hill district with the I-579 freeway separating the Steel Plaza stop with PPG Paints Arena, and it does not connect to nightlife offerings in the South Side Flats. Increased connectivity through the downtown to surrounding districts will support the restaurant, retail, and other visitor amenities, and offer a complete experience for visitors.
ACTIONS
- Support streetscape and wayfinding improvements along key transit/pedestrian corridors
- Support and expand Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus service connecting downtown to the stadiums beyond game/event days
- Support and expand the Free Fare T Zone six station light rail system in downtown to include access to surrounding neighborhoods
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Support streetscape and wayfinding improvements along key transit/pedestrian corridors
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Support and expand Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus service connecting downtown to the stadiums beyond game/event days
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Support and expand the Free Fare T Zone six station light rail system in downtown to include access to surrounding neighborhoods
Status: Pending Timeline: 7-10 Years
SM.4 Create Outdoor Community Event Spaces
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Create Outdoor Community Event Spaces
The unique and welcoming characters of Pittsburgh’s 90 neighborhoods invite exploration. Event producers struggle with a lack of spaces that have a suitable infrastructure framework to host gatherings. More smaller-scale events hosted at local green or open spaces with semi-permanent venues or infrastructure will serve the community, local businesses, and outside visitors.
ACTIONS
- Support development of catalyst projects in and around Allegheny Riverfront
- Create semi-permanent infrastructure(s) to encourage visitor exploration of neighborhoods
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Support development of catalyst projects in and around Allegheny Riverfront
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Create semi-permanent infrastructure(s) to encourage visitor exploration of neighborhoods
Status: Pending Timeline: 7-10 Years
SM.5 Grow Diverse Sporting Events
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Grow Diverse Sporting Events
Pittsburgh’s identity as a sports city can be augmented by providing opportunities to enhance current participatory facilities and capitalize on the growing sports tourism market as well as encourage active and healthy residents. The city lacks multi-court and multisport spaces for youth and senior sports. Short one or two-day sports tournaments currently hosted at the DLCC require multiple build-out days to install proper flooring, which limits the number of other events the DLCC can host. At this time, Highmark Stadium presents a unique opportunity for smaller, emerging sports events to grow in Pittsburgh - the facility is a 5,000 seat outdoor stadium with accessibility by public transit.
ACTIONS
- Promote college sports events alongside major league sports calendar
- Expand programming at existing participatory sports facilities and enhance or create downtown or riverfront sports facilities for youth sports tournaments and locals
- Attract new tournaments - women’s leagues, tennis events, etc.
- Revisit and update SportsPITTSBURGH Sports Event Hosting Plan
- Develop relationships with local youth sports orgs to create legacy programs through hosted events, growing participation locally
- Expand relationships locally with high-profile, influential sports-related figures to support SportsPITTSBURGH efforts
- Creation of a volunteer pool program to help support local sports event operational needs
- Plan and carry out annual relationship building trips to major client bases (NCAA, USOC, NFL, etc.) including Pittsburgh LOC members on trips
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Promote college sports events alongside major league sports calendar
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Expand programming at existing participatory sports facilities and enhance or create downtown or riverfront sports facilities for youth sports tournaments and locals
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years -
Attract new tournaments - women’s leagues, tennis events, etc.
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Revisit and update SportsPITTSBURGH Sports Event Hosting Plan
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Develop relationships with local youth sports orgs to create legacy programs through hosted events, growing participation locally
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Expand relationships locally with high-profile, influential sports-related figures to support SportsPITTSBURGH efforts
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Creation of a volunteer pool program to help support local sports event operational needs
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Plan and carry out annual relationship building trips to major client bases (NCAA, USOC, NFL, etc.) including Pittsburgh LOC members on trips
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
SM.6 Align Meetings and Events With Target Industries and Institutions
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Align Meetings and Events With Target Industries and Institutions
Pairing Pittsburgh’s tech, life sciences, manufacturing, and education industry partners with conventions and events will enhance community activations and improve the resident and visitor experience. Weeknight and weekend “spillover” programming with local art, entertainment, retail, or performance activities in conjunction with official convention/ conference or exhibition events will also benefit both locals and guests.
ACTIONS
- Develop an Industry Events Cluster Strategy
- Expand partnerships to connect convention events to local industries (robotics, healthcare, etc.)
- Host more tech and innovation-related events with programming similar to CES or TED
- Host smaller incubator or venture capital retreat events timed to coincide with larger conferences to bring in thought leadership
- Create an Ambassador program with specific industries (biotech, manufacturing, etc.)
- Develop communication plan to highlight conferences & events that are tied to Business Event pillars: Manufacturing, Tech, Life Sciences, and Education
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Develop an Industry Events Cluster Strategy
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Expand partnerships to connect convention events to local industries (robotics, healthcare, etc.)
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Host more tech and innovation-related events with programming similar to CES or TED
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Host smaller incubator or venture capital retreat events timed to coincide with larger conferences to bring in thought leadership
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Create an Ambassador program with specific industries (biotech, manufacturing, etc.)
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Develop communication plan to highlight conferences & events that are tied to Business Event pillars: Manufacturing, Tech, Life Sciences, and Education
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
SM.7 Target Sustainability-Focused Conventions and Events
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Target Sustainability-Focused Conventions and Events
In 2003, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center became the largest LEED® Gold Certified convention center in the world, and in 2022 it was the highest-rated LEED® Platinum Certified convention center in the U.S. It makes sense that sustainability-focused conventions and events should be held in the history-making city that applied these same values to its meetings industry.
ACTIONS
- Build relationships to host conventions and events that address sustainability and climate change concerns
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Build relationships to host conventions and events that address sustainability and climate change concerns
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
SM.8 Use Sustainability Advantage to Attract Conventions
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Use Sustainability Advantage to Attract Conventions
Pittsburgh can leverage the sustainability initiatives of the DLCC to attract a wider range of conventions based on corporate carbon goals and sustainable practices. Beyond its downtown walking accessibility, the convention center’s adoption of industry best practices demonstrates a commitment to a healthier environment, a value that aligns with a number of businesses and associations. The DLCC’s sustainable operations program can also be a transformative tool for regional change through partnerships with local service providers and supply chain to promote carbon imprint reduction, turning the city into a “green event destination.” Hosting meetings and conventions that achieve the sustainability goals of meeting planners and attendees is an opportunity for Pittsburgh to showcase a leadership role in its postindustrial evolution.
ACTIONS
- Clearly define the value of sustainability initiatives to motivate organizational support for future investments
- Develop a strategic plan for leveraging the DLCC’s sustainability program into increased business
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Clearly define the value of sustainability initiatives to motivate organizational support for future investments
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Develop a strategic plan for leveraging the DLCC’s sustainability program into increased business
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
SM.9 Develop and Manage County-Wide Festival and Events Strategy
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Develop and Manage County-Wide Festival and Events Strategy
As the permitting authority for small and large-scale events as well as film productions within the city, the Office of Film & Event Management (OFEM) acts as the primary coordinator for most events hosted in Allegheny County. The County’s Office of Special Events also handles events, film productions, and cultural programming at county-owned venues including parks. Application vetting systems and OFEM’s Special Events Committee ensure proper planning and execution so that productions do not negatively impact city operations and remain positive assets to its residents, businesses, and visitors. With the infrastructure and Commonwealth regulation limitations on large outdoor events in Point State Park, alternative sites are necessary to meet the high demand for hosting large events and activities. An intelligent dispersal of event locations throughout the County can offer traffic and parking mitigation and improved economies for surrounding communities. Competition between events (especially during the summer) combined with application reviews can improve the quality of the event experience for attendees and ensure it fits with overall destination branding strategies.
ACTIONS
- Improve the hosting capacities and availability of sites for large outdoor events
- Prioritize event types and programming that align with county-wide strategy and destination branding
- Encourage coordination between OFEM and County to maximize quantity and quality of events and film productions
- Support and continue OFEM’s consultations with film and event permit applicants to ensure industry standards, safety regulations, and policies are achieved
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Improve the hosting capacities and availability of sites for large outdoor events
Status: Active Timeline: 7-10 Years -
Prioritize event types and programming that align with county-wide strategy and destination branding
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Encourage coordination between OFEM and County to maximize quantity and quality of events and film productions
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Support and continue OFEM’s consultations with film and event permit applicants to ensure industry standards, safety regulations, and policies are achieved
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
Connectivity
City/Central Core
CI.1 Enhance Active Transportation Experience
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Enhance Active Transportation Experience
So much of the richness of Pittsburgh as an urban destination is based in its collection of 90 neighborhoods. However, visitors have reported being unable to easily explore the city due to the lack of access and connectivity between neighborhoods and the attractions they host. As alternative low-impact transportation options continue to grow in the market- including e-scooters and bike share (POGOH, Pittsburgh’s bikeshare program, will be expanding by 22 stations in 2023 and recently announced a regional vision that will increase accessibility across the City) - Pittsburgh should focus on better knitting these systems and networks, as well as prioritizing people first streets and areas at the core of visitor-supporting neighborhoods such as Downtown, North Side, The Strip, Oakland, and Lawrenceville. Such efforts will help facilitate the ‘park-once-and-walk’ practice amongst residents and visitors; improve overall mobility and circulation within the city; and create a distinct sense of place.
ACTIONS
- Integrate micro-mobility systems through Google Maps to make last-mile trip planning easier for all riders.
- Support the creation of a citywide wayfinding system that builds on and complements Downtown signage efforts
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Integrate micro-mobility systems through Google Maps to make last-mile trip planning easier for all riders.
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Support the creation of a citywide wayfinding system that builds on and complements Downtown signage efforts
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years
CI.2 Expand and Promote Public Transportation Services
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Expand and Promote Public Transportation Services
Public transportation is critical to the development of tourism in urban places not only as a means to arrive at a destination but as a means to easily and seamlessly explore a destination upon arrival. At this time, visitors to Pittsburgh are observed to use public transit at the highest rate during sports and event days at arenas owing to free bus service provided through direct agreements with the stadium and exhibition authority. Beyond peak days, public transit remains underutilized by visitors who may be less familiar with navigating the systems in Pittsburgh. To encourage ridership amongst visitors, Pittsburgh will need to expand networks to improve the efficiency of service to prove reliability and convenience, as well as leverage partnerships with tourism assets to incentivize visitors to get around the city by public transit.
ACTIONS
- Support the development of “Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s bus rapid transit project”, which connects Downtown to Oakland
- Support the research and development of alternative pilot circulator services between key tourism-supporting neighborhoods
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Support the development of “Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s bus rapid transit project”, which connects Downtown to Oakland
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Support the research and development of alternative pilot circulator services between key tourism-supporting neighborhoods
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
CI.3 Create Waterway Connections Between Key Districts/Anchors
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Create Waterway Connections Between Key Districts/Anchors
Pittsburgh’s history is deeply rooted in its navigable waterways and yet its use as a means of transportation today for locals and visitors remains limited. Beyond using Pittsburgh’s rivers for recreation, the City should test the feasibility of creating a system of daily passenger water bus service to all major destinations along its rivers. This may include stops at Kennywood, Sandcastle Water Park, Station Square, David L Lawrence Convention Center, Acrisure, PNC Park, Downtown, the Strip, and other attractions.
ACTIONS
- Pilot a summer riverboat shuttle service between key riverfront destinations
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Pilot a summer riverboat shuttle service between key riverfront destinations
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years
County/Region
CO.1 Fill the Gap's in the Region's Trail Network
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Fill the Gap's in the Region's Trail Network
In order to build a complete and safe riding/hiking experience, a coalition of partners in Allegheny County have conducted an analysis of trail systems to identify gaps in the network that may become new corridor “Connections” that both locals and visitors can use to interact with the ecology and heritage of the region. The coalition continues to build consensus around its regional network concept, the Allegheny Green Web, which includes 1) Connections between the nine County Parks, along the outskirts of the county; 2) Riverfront East/West Connections; and 3) North/South connections between the County Parks, the three rivers, and the center of the county.
ACTIONS
- Support Catalyst Project ‘Allegheny Green Web’ through funding feasibility studies to determine alignments for connections and through advocacy efforts to ensure public buy-in
- Support development of Turtle Creek Connector to connect Great Allegheny Passage to the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, and connect communities in the Turtle Creek Valley
- Highlight, promote, and improve access to trails as part of the destination offering
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Support Catalyst Project ‘Allegheny Green Web’ through funding feasibility studies to determine alignments for connections and through advocacy efforts to ensure public buy-in
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Support development of Turtle Creek Connector to connect Great Allegheny Passage to the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, and connect communities in the Turtle Creek Valley
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years -
Highlight, promote, and improve access to trails as part of the destination offering
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
Airport
AI.1 Promote Public Transportation Between Airport and City
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Promote Public Transportation Between Airport and City
Pittsburgh International Airport is currently served by a city-airport bus route (the 28X Flyer) operated by the Pittsburgh Regional Transit Authority. Despite its time competitiveness and price-competitiveness relative to taxi and rideshare alternatives, the public transit option remains underutilized. In order to raise awareness of and educate travelers on this available amenity, VisitPITTSBURGH should work in partnership with the Transit Authority to create educational and advocacy campaigns to encourage the use of the service to/from the City. Major event days/weeks with large volumes of international visitors may be ideal pilot periods for marketing activations.
ACTIONS
- Create a marketing campaign to promote Airport express bus service with appropriate carriers with flights arriving near/around express bus service
- Support Pittsburgh Regional Transit Authority’s study of long-term train/BRT connection from the airport to downtown Pittsburgh.
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Create a marketing campaign to promote Airport express bus service with appropriate carriers with flights arriving near/around express bus service
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Support Pittsburgh Regional Transit Authority’s study of long-term train/BRT connection from the airport to downtown Pittsburgh.
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
AI.2 Advocate for Domestic and International Connectivity
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Advocate for Domestic and International Connectivity
While there are numerous benefits to improving air connectivity, including offering travelers more flight options and reduced travel times, enhancing business operations, and facilitating the flow of human capital and investment, it is largely driven by airline business models. Now with recent commitments to modernize the airport, Pittsburgh has the opportunity to work closely with current and new domestic and international airlines to widen the range of destinations and offer more frequent and flexible services that meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers.
ACTIONS
- Support the airport in the development of new routes through advocacy roundtables with industry leaders
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Support the airport in the development of new routes through advocacy roundtables with industry leaders
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years
Industry
Workforce
WO.1 Advance Tourism Labor Retention
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Advance Tourism Labor Retention
With the increasing loss of labor to more competitive markets such as Butler County, VisitPITTSBURGH will need to support industry partners by co-developing and sponsoring workforce retention programs that lower/remove barriers for the unemployed - particularly those in under-represented labor groups - and that celebrate the successes of existing workers and show appreciation for their participation and efforts, particularly following challenging periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
ACTIONS
- Create a tourism and hospitality employee excellence/recognition program
- Pilot job maintenance programs that provide support to employees, including apprenticeships/training, community child care, transportation subsidy, affordable housing, etc
CASE STUDIES
New York State Tourism Excellence Awards
Organized by the New York State (NYS) Tourism Industry Association, the NYS Tourism Excellence awards recognize outstanding work of tourism/hospitality organizations, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses across different fields of work - including marketing, management, service, and stewardship. The awards are held in conjunction with National Travel and Tourism Week and accept nominees via an open call.
Visit Baltimore Diversity Apprenticeship Program
Sponsored by local partner Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Visit Baltimore’s paid apprenticeship program offers BIPOC and under-represented employees the opportunity to work in various roles within the Visit Baltimore organization and with industry partners (including breweries, hotels, attractions, sports facilities). The program aims to create new career pathways for minority leaders and employees and guarantees a minimum coordinator-level position upon completion of the program.
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Create a tourism and hospitality employee excellence/recognition program
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Pilot job maintenance programs that provide support to employees, including apprenticeships/training, community child care, transportation subsidy, affordable housing, etc
Status: Pending Timeline: 4-6 Years
WO.2 Grow Hospitality and Tourism Labor Supply
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Grow Hospitality and Tourism Labor Supply
In order to grow the labor supply, Pittsburgh will need to adopt a two-prong strategy of a) attracting new workers to the market and b) encouraging the existing local population to participate in the labor force through retraining and skill development. This is particularly important for an aging workforce and population such as Pittsburgh’s.
ACTIONS
- Support the development of a regional labor force targeting strategy
- Create a marketing campaign for jobs in the tourism industry
- Create a digital job portal/job board and participate in job fairs for direct recruitment
- Increase collaboration between industry and education providers to develop educational and workplace-based training programs that meet industry’s needs
CASE STUDIES
Pocono Mountains Job Portal
Developed during the pandemic as a response to limited labor in the market, the Pocono Mountains Visitor Bureau overseeing the management of the four-county destination created an organized job portal for employees seeking opportunities in several categories - food & beverage, guest services, housekeeping, management, recreation, etc.
The University of Hawaii Community College
In partnership with the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii Tourism Authority designed the Certificate of Professional Development in Customer Service curriculum for existing and potential hospitality employees. Skills developed through the course are intended to be transferable across several organizations in the industry including hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, convention centers, airport agencies, and museums/cultural attractions.
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Support the development of a regional labor force targeting strategy
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Create a marketing campaign for jobs in the tourism industry
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Create a digital job portal/job board and participate in job fairs for direct recruitment
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Increase collaboration between industry and education providers to develop educational and workplace-based training programs that meet industry’s needs
Status: Active Timeline: 4-6 Years
Businesses
BU.1 Provide Hospitality and Tourism Business Support
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Provide Hospitality and Tourism Business Support
A diverse and exciting business ecosystem to encourage entrepreneurship and market-testing in the hospitality and tourism industry, Pittsburgh will need to create a suite of incentives and business development opportunities for startups and small businesses to grow and expand in the market.
ACTIONS
- Create a business development/entrepreneurship competition
- Provide incentives for business digitization
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Create a business development/entrepreneurship competition
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Provide incentives for business digitization
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years
Governance
GO.1 Build Organizational Capacity and Collaborations With Industry Partners
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Build Organizational Capacity and Collaborations With Industry Partners
Local leaders and stakeholders managing community and place-based organizations shared challenges around organizational capacity and resources that inhibited active participation in the tourism economy. While neighborhood organizations such as Downtown Pittsburgh Partnership may be well-informed of tourism efforts and market performances, other groups in underresourced neighborhoods face staff capacity limitations and an overall lack of knowledge of the tourism and hospitality industry. Building local capacity is critical to the overall success of the Pittsburgh tourism market. While VisitPITTSBURGH may be able to lead a strategic vision for the destination and provide guidance on the implementation of tourism projects and strategies, it is up to local leaders to serve as boots on the ground building resources and partnerships or buy-in from local stakeholders toward each strategy or action. Making sure local neighborhood leaders are informed of industry trends and market forces will also be critical to building confidence amongst investors.
ACTIONS
- Form a Neighborhood Tourism Advisory Council
- Create a tourism/hospitality training program for neighborhood leaders
- Develop a reporting method to communicate TDP related updates with community stakeholders
- Develop a Tourism Summit to bring together development stakeholders for tourism collaboratio
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Form a Neighborhood Tourism Advisory Council
Status: Pending Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Create a tourism/hospitality training program for neighborhood leaders
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Develop a reporting method to communicate TDP related updates with community stakeholders
Status: Completed Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Develop a Tourism Summit to bring together development stakeholders for tourism collaboratio
Status: Completed Timeline: 1-3 Years
GO.2 Support Emerging Cultural Tourism Groups
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Support Emerging Cultural Tourism Groups
Destinations around the country are harnessing their unique mix of both tangible and intangible cultures to boost visits and overnight stays, and increasingly so with the support and partnership of small minority ethnic groups that are growing rapidly in urban destinations. In Pittsburgh, nearly 1 in 10 of its residents are foreign-born (9%) with the most common birthplaces of foreign-born residents appearing to be India, Dominican Republic and China. In a competitive post-pandemic tourism marketplace, it is important for destinations like Pittsburgh to dig deep into the complexities of its ethnic and cultural make-up and to empower emerging cultural groups to actively participate in the tourism sector and to diversity the unfiltered cultural experiences being offered to visitors. This strategy is intended to be an extension of efforts in Strategy AA.1- AA.3.
ACTIONS
- Develop and maintain an internal resource database/map with historical and cultural information featuring interesting facts, news, and sites for each emerging cultural group
- Promote and market unique placemaking efforts that celebrate emerging cultures across the city
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Develop and maintain an internal resource database/map with historical and cultural information featuring interesting facts, news, and sites for each emerging cultural group
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years -
Promote and market unique placemaking efforts that celebrate emerging cultures across the city
Status: Active Timeline: 1-3 Years