On the eve of the opening of the expansion of King of Prussia Mall – one of the highest-profile retail magnets in the world – the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board has launched Destination Shop Montco, the latest in its family of brands designed to bring tourists to Montgomery County.

The campaign cites the extensive array of shopping possibilities throughout the county, from high-end stores offering global luxury brands, to stores offering outlet savings, to artists selling hand-crafted accessories from quaint storefronts on walkable main streets.

“Montgomery County owns shopping,” said Mike Bowman, VFTCB President and CEO. “No other destination in the country can come close. Why would anyone go anywhere else?”

The VFTCB has launched a website specifically to highlight the wide variety of retailers that do business locally. These include:

• 6 major malls
• 76 neighborhood center-style retail and dining clusters
• 140 traditional shopping centers
• 11 standalone department stores
• 6 retail-oriented main-streets
• 4,500 individual stores

Together, these assets represent 30 million square feet of selling space, attracting north of 30 million shoppers each year.

Ed Harris, the VFTCB’s Marketing and Communications Vice President, said that Destination Shop Montco is an all-encompassing initiative that includes billboards and a TV ad.

“We are back on television for the fall shopping season,” he said. “We have developed a commercial that celebrates a weekend getaway to Montco. Two staff members and a VFTCB intern are among the cast, and their steady stream of social media sharing catches the eye of a friend who opted out of the trip.

“She sees online what a great time they’re having without her, trying on shoes, browsing accessories, enjoying the nightlife at the Valley Forge Casino Resort, sampling dishes in Skippack’s Parc Bistro restaurant, and relaxing in the comfort of the Sheraton Valley Forge. And she totally regrets not going.

“It’s the social media FOMO factor: Fear of Missing Out.”

Full details on Destination Shop Montco are available at shopmontcopa.com, a VFTCB site that will feature a $500 shopping spree to a lucky online visitor.