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Destination Gettysburg survey shows residents find value in tourism industry

11/06/25

A survey conducted by Destination Gettysburg found that most local residents believe tourism has a positive impact on the Adams County community.

From April through May, Destination Gettysburg issued a survey to gauge residents’ sentiment toward the Adams County tourism industry. The anonymous 11-question survey was fully completed by 313 respondents. Most respondents identified themselves as Gettysburg area residents who do not work in the local hospitality/tourism industry.

The survey posed questions regarding tourism’s economic impact, whether residents visit local attractions, and how familiar residents are with Destination Gettysburg’s work. Key findings include:

  • Nearly 96% of respondents agree that tourism and hospitality industry jobs provide economic value to the Adams County community.
  • About 91% expressed belief that tourism and visitors have a positive or very positive impact on the Adams County community.
  • About 90% said they were familiar or somewhat familiar with Destination Gettysburg’s work to promote Adams County to visitors.
  • About 70% said they always or usually engage with the tourism industry when friends and family visit.
  • Nearly 60% said they believe Destination Gettysburg’s marketing efforts have a positive impact on the community.

“This feedback gives our team a clear understanding of where Adams County residents stand and how they feel about tourism’s economic value, impact on quality of life, and the hospitality workforce,” Destination Gettysburg President and CEO Karl Pietrzak said.

Some respondents chose to share additional comments in the open-ended section of the survey. Whether they expressed pride in the place where they live or pointed out issues facing the community, respondents showed they have an active interest and a significant stake in tourism.

The most common positive comments highlighted the area’s variety of restaurants and family-friendly activities.

“The tourism industry allows locals to have access to many arts, culture, dining and events that we wouldn’t find at a small town like Gettysburg and a rural area like Adams County,” one respondent said.

Others shared concerns about the impact of visitors. The most common complaints were regarding traffic and parking.

“The traffic and crowds in town can often lead my family and I out to the surrounding areas when we choose to go out,” another respondent wrote. “I do appreciate that I get to enjoy Gettysburg year round however it does feel like sometimes we don’t get to enjoy some of the best aspects of our town as selfish as that may be.”

Overall, the resident sentiment survey indicates that the local community understands the importance of the travel and tourism industry to the health, strength and development of Gettysburg and Adams County.

“We appreciate those who took the time to share their feedback with us,” Pietrzak said. “This feedback has not gone unheard, and we look forward to using this input to shape Destination Gettysburg’s vision for the future.”

Destination Gettysburg plans to issue the survey again in approximately 18 months.

The summarized survey report can be found at https://www.gettysburgtourismworks.com/residentsurvey2025.html.

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