From Mirror staff reports
STATE COLLEGE — The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, Explore Altoona, Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau and Visit Clearfield County will host the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance Marketplace this fall, an opportunity to engage with travel writers from across the country and highlight the region on a broader stage, organizers said.
The main event will be held Oct. 4-6, and is expected to draw about 50 travel writers, along with 50 destination marketing organizations from Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region.
“In collaboration with our three counterpart destination marketing organizations, Explore Altoona is extremely pleased to be showcasing the central Pennsylvania region to an influential group of media professionals,” Explore Altoona Executive Director Mark Ickes said in a statement.
“We recognize the excellent opportunity to host these writers,” he said. “This type of promotional exposure is priceless in targeting potential visitors for the entire region.”
Each destination will offer travel writers pre-Marketplace welcome tours and post-Marketplace farewell tours.
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau will host the actual media Marketplace event, the opening dinner/reception sponsored by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office and a day of themed tours throughout Happy Valley.
“Hosting the MATPRA Marketplace event is a great opportunity to showcase the best of Central Pennsylvania to travel writers and other destination marketers,” Matt Price, executive director of the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, said in a statement. “For our mostly rural areas, this is a rare chance to host a large group of travel writers all at one time.”
Price said collaborating with neighboring destination marketing organizations to host the Marketplace has been a great experience.
“Hopefully, it opens the door to more collaboration in the future,” he said.