By Katie Kohler

The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB) hosted their largest member luncheon in history at the newly renovated Great Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks.

More than 600 people were in attendance as VFTCB touted headlines including: tourism spending in Montco reached $1.6 billion and grew by more than 2.8 percent from the prior year; tourism also supported more than 4.1 percent of all jobs in Montgomery County, employing over 20,000 people; and VFTCB membership hit 600 members, marking a 65 percent increase over the past three years.

“Montgomery County is going through a renaissance,” said Ed Harris, Chief Marketing Officer. “There is so much development through the county. Today is a celebration of where Montco has been and where we are going forward. This is our Super Bowl.”

Guests were greeted by live music at the Friday Oct. 26 event, and a Montco Makers-themed lounge featuring the county’s local wineries, breweries, and distilleries. The 2018 Member Luncheon began with Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board’s President & CEO, Mike Bowman, as the master of ceremonies welcoming former Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and Pennsylvania Attorney General, Josh Shapiro.

“By every metric, things are on fire in Montgomery County,” said Shapiro

However, it wasn’t just a time to celebrate and network. The event’s theme, “Reimagine,” showed that VFTCB is always thinking of creative ways to enhance the visitor experience in Montgomery County.

“Any great brand whether you are Nike or Apple, you are always thinking about what’s next and potentially reinventing what your business is. You never want to slow down and be complacent,” said Harris. “It’s about what’s new and what’s next. We have some great assets already but we want to turn the volume up and attract even more people to Montgomery County.”

VFTCB announced some ways they plan to “turn the volume up” in 2019 by making several announcements during the luncheon.

Montgomery County will welcome the world-famous Philadelphia Orchestra to the historic Keswick Theatre on March 21, 2019. A side-by-side rehearsal with local students in the Abington School District will take place during the day, followed by a community concert in the evening. The Philadelphia Orchestra will return to the county in 2020 for a major outdoor event.

Big Apple Circus will be coming to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center May 2019 through June 2019 to utilize the newly updated outdoor space.

A few competitors from the National Dog Show, which is held which is held annually at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks through 2022, helped VFTCB introduce the emBARK Montco video premiere. Of the 75 hotels in Montgomery County, over 30 are pet-friendly, giving residents and visitors the opportunity to explore Montgomery County without leaving their four-legged family members behind.

‘We are always creating innovative ways to bring in new business,” said Lisa Karl, Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships. “We encourage clients and travelers to reimagine and have a different take on the things there are to see and do in Montgomery County.”