Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board celebrated Montgomery County as a premier tourism destination during the 8th annual Travel Rally on May 6 which was held at Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club.

Themed, “Let’s Go!”, guests who attended the special event enjoyed local entertainment and were the first to learn of several initiatives coming to the region, including the return of the Montco Jazz Fest with a brand-new Legacy theme, new marketing efforts, organization sales updates, and more.

Event attendees enjoyed live music, a 20-foot inflatable PGA Golfzilla, a Fort Washington Fire Company firetruck, an event-themed ice sculpture, a roaming photobooth, and Monty the Fox, Valley Forge Tourism’s costumed mascot.

“Here in Montco, we’re beyond proud to see how tourism continues to keep our economy moving,” said Mike Bowman, President & CEO of the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board. “This industry remains a huge positive economic driver in Montgomery County, contributing more than $1.7 billion, and more than 25,000 jobs. We know for a fact travel’s positive momentum is going to continue!”

During the event, Valley Forge Tourism announced the return of their Montco Jazz Fest, Sept. 19-22, and will include a Legacy theme. The living legacy of jazz will be honored by having beginner artists work with those who are more renowned. The festival will feature over 30 performances at more than 25 iconic Montgomery County venues. 

Also announced with costumed performers was the return of the Valley Forge engagement of the American Revolution Show, performing at Washington Memorial Chapel on May 27 and Jun. 10. The highly acclaimed, Italian Renaissance-style show has performed at other noted venues, such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and the Lincoln Center in New York.

It was also shared that Valley Forge Tourism recently held a record-breaking 18^th Annual Revolutionary 5-Mile Run & Walk in Valley Forge National Historical Park, with almost 1,300 participants. Sponsorship hit an all-time high at $70,000, with 41 county partners. Valley Forge Tourism was able to contribute $80,000 to the park, the largest annual donation to date. This brings the company’s lifetime total donation to almost $700,000.

Also noted, the Valley Forge Sports team is working to beat their record-breaking year in 2023. In 2024, they’re hosting more than 110 events throughout the county, with an estimated $75 million in economic impact and over 100,000 room nights. This June, YMCA Gymnastics Nationals will be hosted at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, generating 7,000 room nights, 8,000 attendees, and $6 million in economic impact over 5 days.

In July, Umoja Games, the largest Muslim soccer tournament in the world, will bring more than 2,000 attendees to the Proving Grounds, producing over 2,000 room nights and $1.5 million in economic impact. Finally, in December, the U.S. Master Weightlifting and North American Championships will contribute 1,500 room nights, 2000 attendees, and $1.2 in estimated economic impact. Valley Forge Sports also noted that the FIFA World Cup will be bringing 600,000 people to the region in 2026.

The VFTCB also announced the continuation of their Free-K Out summer marketing campaign which positions Montco as the ultimate, affordable family destination. Some new highlights include a strong streaming presence on Hulu, ESPN, and Disney+, a Spotify partnership, advertising with The New York Times, and more.

Additionally, the “Summer Tastes Better in Montco” summer dining campaign was introduced. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Valley Forge Tourism is working with AgileCat to put the spotlight on Montgomery County’s incredible dining scene. The campaign will highlight Montco’s thousands of restaurants and will include a summertime influencer tasting experience.

Also noted, Valley Forge Tourism will launch its America250 marketing campaign this July, two years ahead of the country’s 250^th birthday. This campaign will aim to highlight Montgomery County as a destination to visit during the huge anniversary. Focused heavily on digital opportunities, the campaign will launch Jul. 1 and direct visitors to a brand-new page on the website, listing all the great events happening in the region.

Valley Forge Tourism also launched a new sustainability campaign, focused on all the ways visitors can travel responsibly and sustainably in Montgomery County. A new webpage, sustainablemontco.org, was announced, where content, events, businesses, and more surrounding sustainability will be shared. Valley Forge Tourism is passionate about meaningful travel and sharing that passion with the community. More initiatives surrounding the sustainability campaign will be announced soon.

Lastly, a brand-new quarterly golf newsletter was announced, taking the place of the VFTCB’s Montco Golf Guide. This newsletter will provide all the same great content while allowing first-party data to be collected on consumers interested in golf. More than ever before, Valley Forge Tourism can gain insights into consumer behavior around golf in Montgomery County.

Learn more at Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, where you can explore the new 2024 Visitor’s Guide.