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Lancaster County has been an important tourist destination in the northeastern United States since the 1960’s. It has become a major tourist destination largely because of its scenic countryside and its Amish and other Anabaptist inhabitants. But they are not, and historically have not been, the only draw for tourists to the county. Over the last 20 years, there has been a diversification of tourism. Today, visitors still come to Lancaster County because of its rural ambiance and the Plain community. But they also come for outlet shopping, theatrical productions, and to enjoy the historical and cultural attractions the region has to offer.
Over the last 15 years, local officials began talking about livable communities. Lancaster County planners now call for a type of tourism development that is "...complementary to the natural, cultural, and historic features of the county." The plan discourages tourism services and attractions that inaccurately reflect the county's history or that would have an unfavorable effect on local residents' quality of life.
Back to the Past - Heritage Tourism
Tourists have been drawn to the area to see the Amish and their agricultural lifestyle. The new marketing approach favored by county officials is intended to lure visitors to a much broader array of sites. As noted by the Lancaster County Planning Commission:
"the county has much more to offer than is apparent to the casual visitor or resident. Many stories have been told about the county's diverse cultural traditions, its exemplary architecture, and its contributions to local, state, and national history. Unfortunately, few of the county's historic resources are made accessible or marketed to visitors and residents in a coordinated and authentically interpreted manner."
In 1994, Lancaster County was selected as one of four study areas of the Pennsylvania Heritage Tourism Initiative. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission started this program, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation's (NTHP) Heritage Tourism Program provided technical support.
Heritage Tourism programs have been put into effect elsewhere around the country, but Lancaster County, with its rich variety and quantity of historic sites and special landscapes and people have made it an ideal candidate for this type of program. The county's 1998 Heritage Tourism Plan summarizes the program:
The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines heritage tourism as "the practice of traveling to experience historic and cultural attractions to learn about a community's, region's, or state's past in an enjoyable and informative way." This definition is based on the premise that linking tourism and preservation can do more for local economies - and for tourism and historic preservation - than promoting each separately. According to the Trust, the core idea of heritage tourism is to save a region's heritage, share it with visitors, and reap the economic benefits of tourism.
So the idea of heritage tourism is to tell a story larger than that told by a particular event or that told by a specific site’s history. It’s as if each separate historic site is a page of a book. But together, they tell a more intriguing tale. Click here for more.