ADAMS COUNTY
While the recession hit home for many midstate businesses, hospitality and some retail businesses in Gettysburg and Adams County as a whole were more fortunate because tourism remained strong.
Gettysburg offered the perfect short trip from America’s major East Coast cities, which kept tourism from falling too hard, Adams County businesspeople said.
“I think it’s just where we’re located,” said Rebecca Hanson, owner of The Gaslight Inn Bed and Breakfast. “Gettysburg has nice restaurants, and it’s an interesting place because of the history. Even if you don’t care about the history, there’s always something to do.”
The Gaslight, about a block off Lincoln Square in Gettysburg, had one of its best years since 2004, Hanson said. October has always been a good month for the inn because of autumn events such as the National Apple Harvest Festival. Despite the recession, the occupancy rate was 79 percent, up from 74 percent occupancy in 2008, she said.
September wasn’t much different. The Gaslight’s occupancy rate was 67 percent, up from 63 percent ayear ago, Hanson said. Even the slow months are up from lastyear, she said. November 2008′s occupancy was 40 percent, but occupancy is 47 percent this year, Hanson said.
A shrewd business move helped occupancy rates, she said.
“When I heard what was going on in the economy, I said, ‘I’m going to lower my prices so that people can still come to Gettysburg,’ ” Hanson said.
She lowered the Gaslight’s prices by $15 to $20 for its more expensive rooms, she said. That’s not ideal, but the increased number of customers made up the difference, she said. Hanson did not release revenue figures.
Groups representing Adams County businesses found that 2009 tourism probably will break even or be down slightly from past years.
“Some of our businesses have said there was more business. Others said the number of visitors was the same as last year,” said Robin Fitzpatrick, president of the Adams County Economic Development Corp.
The organization had a good year for business loans, she said. It processed 22 loans worth more than $27 million. Seventeen of the loans came from the state-backed First Industries Fund, a revolving loan fund to assist companies in tourism and agriculture. This could indicate companies are taking the recession as an opportunity to invest in their businesses for future prosperity, she said.
“Businesses have been putting money into keeping themselves alive,” Fitzpatrick said. “They’re spending money on things they have to replace, things they need to make their business run.”
Inpastyears, businesses were more willing to take a risk on speculative expansion, she said.
July is typically the busiest time of year in Gettysburg, said Norris Flowers, president of the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. That coincides with the influx of visitors for the anniversary of the Civil War battle from July 1-3, he said.
July hotel occupancy was 73 percent, only a 2 percent drop from 2008, which was a big year because of the 145th anniversary of the 1863 battle, Flowers said.
There are 60 million people who live within 300 miles of Gettysburg, he said. The recession could have driven more ofthose people to Gettysburg instead of more-distant places, he said.
The visitors bureau estimates 3 million people visit the Gettysburg area every year.
“Travel plans have changed, but people are still traveling,” Flowers said.
Gettysburg is not the only place that benefits from such short-distance travel, he said. Much of Adams County reaps the benefits.
“We rely heavily on the tourism trade,” said John Kramb, owner of Adams County Winery in Franklin Township.
The vineyard markets itself as a destination business and keeps in contact with its best customers to notify them of new wines and deals, he said.
Sales in 2009 were up significandy, Kramb said. He declined to release dollar figures or percentages.
“We took a vote and decided not to participate in any economic downturn,” he said.
There are a lot of businesses in Adams County that are doing well, and that success could carry over to next season, Hanson said. Much otitis because businesses work together to put on events in slower months, such as the USO Holiday Dance in December, the Innkeeper’s Civil War Ball in January, and a weekend dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln in February, she said.
“I don’t think the recession is going to be over,” Hanson said. “But people still need to get away, so they do these short trips and vacations.”
BY JIM T. RYAN
jimr@journalpub.com
Copyright Journal Publications Inc. Dec 11, 2009
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved
