Gettysburg and Adams County will take center stage in the group travel industry on March 30th, as the region hosts the Maryland Motorcoach Association’s Annual Marketplace. This major event, spearheaded by Destination Gettysburg, will bring more than 500 group travel leaders and tour operators to the area for a day of networking and immersive tours designed to showcase the destination's diverse, year-round experiences.
A Crucial Opportunity for Local Tourism
Group travel is a vital component of Adams County's tourism industry. Each year, more than 15,000 groups—including students, senior citizens, church groups, and military veterans—visit the region, contributing to an industry that pumps over $660 million into the local economy and supports more than 7,500 jobs.
This marketplace event represents a unique opportunity to build on that success by showing travel planners firsthand the "abundance of opportunities to enjoy our region," many of which have been newly created or expanded in recent years.
“Destination Gettysburg is excited to bring the Maryland Motorcoach Association to Adams County,” said Norris Flowers, President of Destination Gettysburg. “This is an incredible opportunity for this destination to show the group travel industry the variety of experiences that the county offers group travelers – everything from history and heritage, to our emerging food and craft beverage scene, great shopping and outdoor recreation.”
A Day of Showcasing and Exploration
The event will feature two key components:
- A Morning Expo: Dozens of local businesses and organizations from Adams County will join other regional destinations at the Wyndham Gettysburg Hotel to network directly with the tour operators.
- Immersive Afternoon Tours: Following the expo, the group travel leaders will embark on one of 10 different themed tours designed to highlight the breadth of experiences available.
Tour subjects will include the iconic Civil War battlefield and civilian history, shopping and wine tasting excursions, a tour focused on President Lincoln’s visit to Gettysburg, explorations of the Underground Railroad, and a tour based on Destination Gettysburg’s "Authentic Adams County" theme, which highlights unique local experiences.
Building for the Future
While Destination Gettysburg's sales team works year-round to build relationships with tour operators, an event of this scale provides an unparalleled platform to showcase the region's attractions. “These travel groups already bring hundreds of trips to Adams County every year,” said Flowers. “This is our chance to show them first-hand the abundance of opportunities to enjoy our region.”
The marketplace is a strategic effort to ensure that Gettysburg and Adams County remain a premier travel destination for groups for years to come.
