In an effort to promote businesses and tourist attractions in Schuylkill County, and to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week, which is May 1 to 7, the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau is planning its first Tourism Expo.
“Schuylkill County has a lot going on,” Gerald L. “Jerry” Enders, secretary of the bureau’s board of directors, said Monday, “and the expo will enable each member to share information about their upcoming events, products or special offers.”
He’s hoping more than 100 of the bureau’s 195 members will participate in the first Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau Tourism Expo, to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 7 at Fairlane Village mall, just off Route 61 in Norwegian Township.
“Right now, close to 50 have pre-registered to be there,” Enders, owner of Jerry’s Classic Cars & Collectibles Museum, Pottsville, said.
“We’re hoping to have more than 80 tables set up throughout the mall that day,” Joan Goodman, innkeeper at Kaier Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Mahanoy City, said.
“If you come out, you’re going to see a lot of tables set up. You’ll see a lot of brochures and fliers. You’re going to find information about Hawk Mountain, the Appalachian Trail, area hotels, campgrounds and golf courses. Many organizations are going to be giving out information to promote their businesses. There will also be a lot of giveaways and discount coupons available. There may be some raffle drawings. And people can sign up for prizes while they’re there,” Enders said.
“I think it’s a good idea. I have a referral group that meets with me. And I tell them what brings people in to my bed and breakfast. And people are amazed by all of the things to do in Schuylkill County that bring people in. So this is a good idea, to show people what the county has to offer,” Allyson Chryst Seibert, owner of The Maid’s Quarters Bed, Breakfast & Tearoom, Pottsville, said.
“I think it’s great. I’m going to use it as a training resource for my people, so that they can come down and see what’s going on in the county and be able to better inform our guests,” Noreen O’Boyle, general manager of Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Frackville, said.
“I’m excited about it. It should be great for the community. I don’t think people in this county realize all that happens in our county. There’s always someone who says ‘There’s nothing to do around here.’ So here they’ll get a good idea of what’s here for people to enjoy and do,” Debbie Altobelli, tour director at D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc., Pottsville, said.
“The concept was to make sure the people of Schuylkill County knew what was available in their backyard for enjoyment and when they have visitors or folks coming in they would have the resources they needed to schedule a nice day visit or weekend stuff. And it’s a great opportunity for our members to connect,” Regina Gargano, executive director of the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau, said.
Altobelli, Enders, Goodman, O’Boyle and Seibert are co-chairs of the event.
Enders said he came up with idea for the event after attending a similar event run by the Pennsylvania Bus Association, Harrisburg. After discussing the idea with the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau board of directors and making phone calls to members, he said it all came together.
“We called about 40 or 50 of our members and got feedback. Everyone was very receptive to the idea and excited about doing it. The mall isn’t going to charge us for the event,” Enders said.
Members of the visitors bureau interested in participating can stop in to its offices at Union Station, call the bureau at 570-622-7700 or email Donna Setlock, the bureau’s office manager, at donna@schuylkill.org.
“It’s free for our members. This is something that our organization wanted to do as a perk for our members. And the slogan for the event is ‘Your Tour Starts Here,’ ” Enders said.