FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Louise Heine
Destination Marketing Director
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 109 or louise@yorkpa.org

Brent Burkey
Communications Specialist
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 103 or bburkey@yorkpa.org

YORK, PA- The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau will host tour bus operators from as far away as Georgia, Michigan and Ontario for a familiarization tour, or FAM, of attractions in York County and the surrounding region this week.

During the trip March 18-20, tour operators have the chance to visit a variety of group tour-friendly destinations, including some complementary to attractions in neighboring Adams and Lancaster counties, and therefore position York County as a logical central location for themed tours of Pennsylvania's Dutch Country Roads Region.

The York County CVB will host nine tour bus companies for the three days. The tour will take operators across the county and beyond with stops including Steam Into History, The Markets At Shrewsbury, the Turkey Hill Experience and even the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre for a show - all from a home base of The Yorktowne Hotel - A Historic Hotel of America in Downtown York.

The week also will feature attractions new to York County's lucrative arsenal of tours, venues and lodging properties such as York City Pretzel Company, Wyndridge Farm, and the renamed and renovated Wyndham Garden York. York County has not only location on its side, but an amazing contingent of attractions that can give tour operators an edge in their respective market niches.

The first day includes a reception during which members will be able to market themselves to group tour operators as destinations for future trips. The reception will be hosted at the York County Heritage Trust's Agricultural & Industrial Museum.

Explore York, an ongoing tourism marketing campaign of the York County CVB with new emphasis this year, seeks to connect the dots and get visitors to cross over and, for example, sample the Susquehanna Ale Trail when they come for the tours here in the Factory Tour Capital of the World, or to pair a stroll through the unique shops of Downtown York with sipping fine wine on the Mason-Dixon Wine Trail.

This campaign extends to other segments, including group tour operators who already come to our destination - or others who might not have discovered York County specifically yet while regularly visiting neighboring destinations.

"The purpose of these familiarization tours we host each year is to acquaint tour operators with all that York County has to offer - from our Factory Tours to fabulous attractions and world-class restaurants - as well as our beneficial location," said Anne Druck, President of the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau. "York County is the place where you can unpack your bag once and enjoy the best of Pennsylvania's top tourism region."

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Mission is to maximize tourism expenditures and their economic impact in York County, PA, through comprehensive tourism sales and marketing programs. The York County CVB's Vision is for a York County where tourism is recognized for the value of its economic impact and its role in raising the profile of York County as a sought-after destination. For more information on the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, call 1-888-858-9675 or visit www.yorkpa.org.