PHOTO PROVIDED A woman, pictured on the HVAB’s website, enjoys one of Happy Valley’s scenic outdoor spaces.

STATE COLLEGE — Centre County was the fastest growing tourism economy in Pennsylvania last year according to the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the county’s official destination marketing organization.

Centre County is now ranked 11th in the state overall in hotel room revenue, just a few million dollars shy of the number 10 spot, after Happy Valley once again led the state in Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) improvement — a key lodging metric.

Compiled and analyzed by the third-party consulting firm Smith Travel Research, the data showed that Happy Valley’s RevPAR increased by 8.6 percent in 2024, following a sizable 16.5 percent increase the year prior.

Ranked 17th statewide in tourism economic impact in 2020, the county has made up over 80 percent of the deficit to the 10th spot since 2022.

Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are flocking to scenic Happy Valley more than ever. In a conversation with Dave Gerdes, vice president of Sales & Marketing for the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, he told The Express that the top 10 is well within reach.

Beloved by many for its athletics, history, outdoor recreation and festivals, Happy Valley is receiving wider recognition as a tourist destination. According to Gerdes, ‘The key is that we’re affordable, accessible and very accommodating.”

“If you’re talking to people and saying, ‘Hey, get away to Happy Valley for a long weekend, or even for the week, it’s easy for them to connect because they’ve been to Happy Valley,” he said.

For thousands, Penn State and its football program create a natural emotional attachment to the community, but there is much more to draw visitors back.

“The outdoors is a big, big hook,” Gerdes said.

Surrounded by state forests, the county boasts beautiful hiking and biking trails, innumerable fishing and boating opportunities and America’s only all-water cavern. Also, a well known youth athletics destination, there are many sporting events happening in Happy Valley year round, both on campus and in several off campus facilities.

“It’s an easy place to get away — to decompress,” he said.

Recalling a conversation with a Penn State alumnus, Gerdes said the consensus is, “Give them (alumni) a reason to come back, and they will come back.”

“That’s all we’re doing,” he added.

But HVAB is not just giving alumni reasons to return.

“We’re giving other people a reason to come visit and see what Happy Valley and this part of Pennsylvania is all about,” said the vice president.

A large part of that has been HVAB’s marketing strategy, which has embraced both influencer marketing and short form video to bring people to Centre County.

“It’s (about) consistency, but it all comes back to content,” said Gerdes. “You have got to have relevant, refreshing, updated content that people can become emotionally attached to.”

Primarily targeting individuals within a 250-mile radius of Happy Valley, HVAB is making the case to those nearby that the region is an ideal destination for a weekend getaway.

With four hotels currently under construction around the county — three of which are projected to be completed by the end of 2025 — Gerdes is confident Centre County is capable of competing on the tier of Bucks, Delaware, Chester and Lehigh Counties.

“The reason why we feel we can go and be competitive with those last four counties is because we’re building more hotels here in Happy Valley,” he said.

And the benefits of a buzzing Happy Valley aren’t just confined to the County.

“Our neighboring counties, they benefit from a busy Happy Valley and Centre County as well,” said Gerdes. “Any of these large events that take place here overflow into our neighboring counties.”

With a limited hotel room inventory, major events such as home football games, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and Penn State’s graduations each bring revenue boons to surrounding counties, which is a reason for everyone to be excited about their success.

Gerdes said, “There’s more coming as we continue to keep people informed of the great events and the great things that are going on in Happy Valley.”

He also encouraged anyone with an idea for how to bring people to the area to make their voices heard.

“If you’ve got an idea, let’s do it. Let’s give it a go.” he said.