2015 Great American Outdoor Show generates $73 million for PA's Hershey Harrisburg Region economy

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tourism Officials at the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau (HHRVB) today released the results of the 2^nd Annual Great American Outdoor Show (GAOS) held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center (FSC) in Harrisburg from February 7 – 15, 2015.

The bureau's report revealed the largest consumer sports and outdoor show in the world had an estimated $73 million impact on the region's economy, a 4 percent increase in the show's overall economic impact from the inaugural year in 2014.

The research compiled by HHRVB revealed a 14 percent increase in hotel occupancy in Dauphin County during the show dates and nearly a 20 percent increase in the revenue per average room (RevPAR) for lodging properties this year. Highlights of the report also include an estimated 2.3 percent increase in attendance from last year based on parking and shuttle figures.

Tourism officials announced the event producer, the National Rifle Association, has extended their contract with the venue after this year through 2018. The five-year deal will mean over $370 million to the region's economy, according to the HHRVB. The NRA created the Great American Outdoor Show in 2014 after the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show was canceled in 2013 by Reed Exhibitions who had produced that show in Harrisburg for over 30 years.

This year's nine-day show featured 1,100 exhibitors, 200 outdoor seminars and demonstrations, daily celebrity appearances, and more than a dozen special events including an NRA Country concert featuring Lee Brice, Thompson Square, and Josh Thompson.

SOURCE Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau

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http://www.visithersheyharrisburg.org/