Visit Hershey

Visit Hershey
Name	Visit Hershey
Type	Tourism promotion organization
Founded	20th century
Location	Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
Area served	Dauphin County, Lebanon County, Harrisburg–Carlisle
Key people	local tourism officials
Website	(official site)

Visit Hershey is a regional tourism organization responsible for promoting the Hershey, Pennsylvania area as a destination for leisure, family, and business travelers. It coordinates marketing, visitor services, and partnerships among attractions, lodging, and event planners to increase visitation to Hershey, Hersheypark, and surrounding municipalities. The organization interfaces with municipal authorities, hospitality operators, and cultural institutions to develop packages, calendar listings, and trade outreach.

History

Founded amid the rise of 20th‑century destination marketing efforts in the United States, the organization emerged to support tourism tied to the legacy of Milton S. Hershey and the enterprises he established, including Hershey, Pennsylvania, The Hershey Company, and Hersheypark. Through mid‑century expansion and the post‑industrial shift toward experience economies, it worked with entities such as Derry Township, Dauphin County, and the Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area to formalize visitor services. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the group adapted to digital marketing trends alongside national associations like U.S. Travel Association and Destination Marketing Association International, and coordinated with regional partners including Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Discover Lancaster. During major capital projects—such as expansions of Hersheypark and the construction of Hershey Lodge—the organization led promotion efforts tied to grand openings, working with event promoters for attractions like Hersheypark Arena reinventions and the redevelopment of Chocolate Avenue. Crisis management periods—ranging from weather‑related closures to public health emergencies—saw collaboration with Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and local health departments.

Main Attractions

The organization’s promotional focus highlights heritage and entertainment sites anchored by industrial and philanthropic history: Hersheypark; Hershey’s Chocolate World; The Hershey Story Museum; and Hershey Gardens. It also packages visits to performance and conference venues such as The Hershey Theatre and GIANT Center, while cross‑promoting regional cultural institutions like ChocolateTown Park, ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, and nearby historic properties including Hershey Cemetery and estates linked to the Hershey family. Partnerships extend to culinary and retail nodes on Chocolate Avenue and Washington Street, and to outdoor recreation at sites like Spring Creek, Governor Dick Reservoir, and local golf courses such as Hershey Country Club (East and West courses). Visit planners often include combined itineraries with nearby Pennsylvania attractions—Gettysburg National Military Park, Lancaster County Amish tours, and National Civil War Museum—to attract multi‑day travelers.

Accommodation and Dining

Promotion and liaison activities cover a spectrum of lodging options: resort properties like The Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge; conference‑oriented venues; boutique inns in Hummelstown; and franchise hotels along Interstate 83 corridors. The organization coordinates with food and beverage stakeholders ranging from chocolatier operations tied to The Hershey Company to restaurants at Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company properties, and independent operators on Chocolate Avenue. It maintains relationships with culinary events hosted at Hershey Theatre and catering partners for conventions at GIANT Center. Visit Hershey facilitates package deals combining lodging with admissions to Hersheypark and seasonal dining experiences at venues associated with Milton S. Hershey School philanthropy and regional food festivals.

Events and Festivals

The group markets a calendar that emphasizes signature events: seasonal offerings at Hersheypark such as spring and Halloween events, holiday programming at Hershey Gardens and The Hotel Hershey, and performance seasons at The Hershey Theatre. It promotes sporting and concert bookings at GIANT Center and community celebrations on Chocolate Avenue and in Hersheypark Stadium. Collaborations extend to agricultural and craft traditions in nearby counties—Lebanon County fairs and Pennsylvania Farm Show tie‑ins—and to regional cultural festivals connected to Harrisburg arts programming and statewide observances like Pennsylvania Heritage Festival entries. The organization also supports trade shows, meetings, and conventions for associations such as Meeting Professionals International and regional chambers of commerce.

Transportation and Access

Visit outreach materials detail multimodal access: driving via Interstate 76, Interstate 81, and Interstate 83; regional rail connections through Harrisburg Transportation Center and intercity services like Amtrak; and air access via Harrisburg International Airport. Local transit coordination includes schedules for Capital Area Transit and shuttle links between attractions and major lodging properties. The organization liaises with state and county transportation agencies—Pennsylvania Department of Transportation—to inform visitors about road projects, parking at high‑traffic venues such as Hersheypark and The Hotel Hershey, and accessibility services for travelers using facilities managed by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company.

Tourism Economy and Impact

By promoting major draws associated with the Hershey legacy, the organization contributes to visitor spending that supports employment in hospitality, retail, and entertainment sectors across Dauphin County and neighboring jurisdictions. Economic development partners—Dauphin County Commissioners, local chambers of commerce, and regional tourism boards—use visitation metrics to plan capital investments and workforce strategies. The organization’s marketing and packaging efforts aim to extend length of stay and diversify seasonality to stabilize revenues for attractions such as Hersheypark and cultural institutions like The Hershey Story Museum. Ongoing evaluation connects visitor trends to broader regional initiatives involving Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and nonprofit stakeholders working on heritage preservation and community revitalization.

Category:Tourism in Pennsylvania