Pennsylvania Dutch Country Visitors Center       501 Greenfield Road, Lancaster, PA 17601       717-299-8901       www.padutchcountry.com
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FAQs & Figures

Statistics

  • Approximately 11 million visitors came to Lancaster in 2007, spending $1.8 billion on a wide variety of goods and services. These dollars translate into about $818 million in direct economic impact1 and nearly $460 million in indirect economic impact.2 Additionally, travel and tourism generates about $460 million3 in tax revenues.
  • Travel & Tourism is among the state's and this county's leading industries employing - both directly and indirectly - nearly 40,0004 people in Lancaster County (26,000 directly).
  • According to 2006 DK Shifflet5 data, the Dutch Country Roads region ranks TOPS in state for total leisure and total overnight leisure in terms of visitor volume. The Dutch Country Roads region includes Lancaster, Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Perry & York Counties. Person stays for total leisure in our region are 27.29 million; 12.7 million for overnight leisure. Philadelphia and The Countryside ranks a close second.

1 - Direct economic impact: value added (sum of wages, taxes, profit and capital depreciation) of those sectors that interact directly with the visitor)

2 - Indirect economic impact: the benefit to suppliers to those direct sectors (i.e. food suppliers to a restaurant).

3,4,5 - DK Shifflet


Leisure Travel

  • Lancaster County's primary "feeder markets" for tourism (outside neighboring counties) are Philadelphia, northern New Jersey, and New York City.
  • Peak tourism months are August and October.
  • Approximately 2/3 of all visitors to Lancaster County will visit again.
  • Visitors are divided fairly evenly between families and adults traveling without children.
  • Average length of stay is 2.6 nights.


Motorcoach Travel

  • More than 11,000 motorcoaches visit Lancaster County each year.
  • Average spending for a day trip motorcoach group - $4,500
  • Average spending for an overnight motorcoach group - $11,000
  • Lancaster County has been twice voted the #1 Non-Urban Destination by members of the American Bus Association! 

Sources: 
D.K. Shifflet and Global Insight
2002 PDCVB Visitor Intercepts Study
ABA (American Bus Association) study, 2002


Lancaster City and County

  • Lancaster County was formed May 10, 1729, becoming the fourth county in Pennsylvania Lancaster County
  • Population: 470,658 (2000 U.S. Census), 482, 775 (2003 estimate)
  • Lancaster County is 946 square miles in size.
  • Lancaster County consists of 60 independent municipalities.
  • Lancaster City was the nation's capital for one day, September 27, 1777, when the Continental Congress held a session at the Courthouse.
  • Lancaster City served as the capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 - 1812.

Sources: Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce
Lancaster County First & Bests, Gerald S. Lestz
A Brief History of Lancaster County Pennsylvania, Gerald S. Lestz


The Amish of Lancaster County

  • Lancaster County's Anabaptist population, which includes Amish, Brethren, Mennonites and United Zion, is approximately 52,000.
  • According to Raber's 2004 Almanac, Lancaster County's Amish population was 25,200.
  • Lancaster County is home to the oldest Amish community in the United States.
  • Most Amish are trilingual, speaking English, Pennsylvania Dutch (a dialect of German) and High German.
  • Amish children attend schools until the eighth grade; school is generally held in one-room schoolhouses.
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