(5/12) More than $332 million was spent by tourists in Adams County, Pa., in 2006, according to the latest statistics released by the state of Pennsylvania last week.

This marks a 6.7-percent increase over 2005, when nearly $312 million was spent by travelers to Adams County. Tourism generated $294 million in 2004 and $269 million in 2003.

"Tourism is vital to the economy of Adams County," said Norris Flowers, President of the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. "As we continue to market Gettysburg as an overnight destination, visitor spending will continue to increase."

The report, "The Economic Impact of Travel & Tourism in Pennsylvania" details six categories of visitor spending. In Adams County, the following was spent by visitors in 2006:

• Transportation - $70.48 million
• Food and beverage - $74.3 million
• Lodging - $63.15 million
• Shopping - $57.01 million
• Entertainment - $49.09 million
• Other - $18.62 million

The report also measured employment generated by tourism. In 2006, 7,522 people were directly or indirectly employed by tourism in Adams County. That marks a 4-percent increase over 2005.

During 2006, more than $227 million in wages was paid to employees in tourism-related jobs.

"In 2006, tourism accounted for nearly one-fifth of all jobs in Adams County," said Flowers. "It is important to the local economy that the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau continues its hard work to attract visitors to our region."

The Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau spends about $800,000 - more than 60 percent of its annual budget - on marketing Gettysburg and Adams County as a premier travel destination.

This week, May 10-18, the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau is joining hundreds of other tourism promotion agencies across the country in celebrating National Tourism Week, a time to recognize the importance of tourism and the economic benefits it brings to the local communities.