STR At A Glance
DLV also contracts with Smith Travel Research (STR), the recognized leader in hospitality benchmarking. DLV analyzes a monthly report who collects data from hotels in the region. September 2021-June 2022 saw the highest Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) in the last four fiscal years. A significant change to the region is the daily hotel room supply. Progress on expansion projects and the opening of new hotels increased supply by 330 rooms from fiscal year 2020–21, and 473 rooms from fiscal year 2019–20. The increase in Average Daily Rate and increase in Room Demand correlates with a strong finish to the fiscal year in June 2022, with revenue reaching $19 million for the month—the strongest revenue month of the fiscal year.
- $113.26 Average Daily Rate (ADR) for fiscal year
- 73.8% Hotel Occupancy for fiscal year
- 1,754,339 hotel room demand for fiscal year
Longwoods International
According to Longwoods International, Travel USA Visitor Profile, in 2021 Lehigh Valley welcomed 16.1 million overnight visitors; up 28.6% from 2020. 81% of visitors to Lehigh Valley are repeat visitors, and 57% of travelers have visited the region within the last 12 months.
- 16.1M Overnight visitors (up 28.6% from 2020)
- $565M Overnight visitor spending
- $1.1b Total visitor spending (overnight and day trips)
Marketing, Ad
vertising, & Public Relations
This past year was time to drive visitation back to Lehigh Valley in a significant way and in the most competitive travel market we’ve ever seen. Our campaigns focused on what people were looking for in destinations: ease and plenty of outdoor space, iconic attractions, and standout festival offerings.
VisitPA Cooperative Advertising
The co-operative spend allowed for use of many tactics, otherwise not available based on budget limitations for these top markets. Tactics included cable television and video streaming networks like Roku and Apple-TV, programmatic video & pre-roll on YouTube, high trafficked digital bulletins, and programmatic digital ads.
- Target Markets: New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore
Public Relations
Targeting editorial calendars with specific pitches, Lehigh Valley landed in national and regional headlines totaling 710 placements, an advertising value of $676.3K, while reaching 41.6 million readers.
Results:
- 255,000 Total Fans on Social Media
- 1 million Users annually
- 1.4 million sessions
- 2.5 million pageviews
- 669,891 Website visitors arrived via organic search because they were looking for things to do in the region. 61% of traffic is organic.
Sales, Services, & Sports
Discover Lehigh Valley’s sales and services team re-engaged with meeting planners and sports event organizers at industry events and conferences. The team placed an added emphasis on Lehigh Valley partner engagement through hosted luncheons and panel discussions.
- 32 meetings and conventions opportunities for the region
- Exceeding 2,000 booked hotel room nights for the future
Sales Partner Updates Luncheons
- Historic Hotel Bethlehem: August 4, 2021
- State Theater of Easton: February 2, 2022
A True Cycling Destination
DLV hosted two National Track Championship Cycling events through USA Cycling and hosted for its inaugural year the 2021 and 2022 Easton Twilight Criterium. The region also hosted the inaugural Hincapie Gran Fondo, long-distance road cycling event. Events are often the first experience a visitor has with the destination and these cycling events in many disciplines showcase our ability to successfully host cycling events in multiple disciplines; track, cyclocross, road, mountain, and criterium racing. Approximately 2,000 cyclists discovered the facilities and amenities that support their interests in our destination.
- USA Cycling Track National Championships Elite/Junior Para July 15-20, 2021
- Easton Twilight Criterium September 4, 2021
- USA Cycling Track National Championships Masters September 15, 2021
- Easton Twilight Criterium May 28, 2022
- Hincapie Gran Fondo June 4, 2022
Results:
- 2,000 Cyclists in the past year
- 28 sporting event opportunities generated for the region
- Exceeding 17,000 booked hotel room nights for the future
Website Redesign
In May 2022, Discover Lehigh Valley® unveiled its redesigned website, DiscoverLehighValley.com. The upgrades elevate the site, which currently receives well over 1 million visitors annually. The sleek, mobile-responsive, visually-focused website is the official hub for both visitors and locals alike, looking to experience the region's cities, towns, and countryside.
- A Fresh-Faced Minimalist Look: Deliberate use of white space and a dedication to crisp typography.
- Visuals That Are a Vibe: Compelling and beautiful photography and energetic video; a “Quick View” option for listings.
- Explore our new Insider's Guide: Inspired blog posts with seasonal info, insider tips, & unique stories.
- New Interactive Map A visual & interactive overview of the region’s cities & towns, aiming to better showcase the scope of the multifaceted region.
- Trip Ideas: A dedicated section to plan a Lehigh Valley trip based on interests including “Day Trips” or “Family Vacation”.
- Planners Site: The new planners section is filled with valuable resources. Users can utilize our advanced search function to find spaces based on attendees size, number of rooms needed, and location.
