Dustin McGrew
Dave DiCello
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
The state of Allegheny County’s tourism industry is strong. In 2024, the sector continued to thrive with consistent, year-over-year growth—reinforcing Pittsburgh’s reputation as a premier destination for visitors. With increased day and overnight trips, strong hotel occupancy rates and an influx in cultural, sports and business events, the collective efforts of VisitPITTSBURGH and our network of nearly 650 partners fostered impressive local impact.
21.2 MILLION
60% day visitors
$6.8 BILLION visitors in 2024 in direct visitor spending
40% overnight visitors
$377.9 MILLION in state and local tax revenue
42,600 tourism-supported jobs
Dave DiCello
BUSINESS EVENTS
VisitPITTSBURGH’s Business Events team delivered exceptional results through a strategic sales approach and high-quality services, that together, made Pittsburgh stand out as a destination for group business in 2024. By fostering strong relationships, leveraging data-driven insights and showcasing the city’s world-class venues, the team successfully attracted a diverse range of events now—and well into the future. From personalized site visits and seamless event execution to a tech-forward approach for visitor engagement, our commitment to excellence ensured an outstanding experience for meeting planners and attendees alike.
201 total events booked in 2024
241,400 room nights booked in 2024
$163.3 MILLION estimated direct visitor spending for events booked in 2024
NOTABLE FUTURE BOOKINGS
2025 Alpha Kappa Alpha Great Lakes Regional Conference
2026 & 2033 American Correction Association
American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine
Shriners International Medicine
HOSTED EVENTS
Healthcare Sterilization Process Association
177
total events hosted
$128.4 MILLION in direct visitor spending for events hosted
173,500 room nights consumed
HOSTED EVENTS AT DLCC
84,200
total attendance
102,300 consumed hotel room nights
125,000
total attendance for 2024 events hosted
$89.7 MILLION in direct visitor spending
SPORTS PITTSBURGH
SportsPITTSBURGH continued to elevate Pittsburgh as a premier sports destination by building strong client and community relationships, securing world-class events and fostering the continued growth of annual, returning events. Key highlights were successfully landing the 2026 NFL Draft and securing more NCAA events than any other U.S. city, further solidifying the region’s reputation as a top-notch host for marquee sporting events. Through a targeted sales approach, exceptional event services and strong local partnerships, SportsPITTSBURGH continued to drive economic impact and enhance the local sports landscape.
68 total events booked in 2024
106,000 room nights booked in 2024
2025 USA BMX Stars & Stripes Nationals
2025 JCC Maccabi Campus Games
$157.9 MILLION estimated direct visitor spending for events booked in 2024
2025 National Physique Committee North American Championship
8 NCAA Championship events, including:
• 2027 National Collegiate Bowling Championship
• 2027 Division I Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds
• 2028 Division II Wrestling Championships
HOSTED EVENTS
$130.6 MILLION estimated direct visitor spending for events hosted
52
total events hosted
94,200 room nights consumed
HOSTED EVENTS AT DLCC
118,600 total attendance
45,300 consumed hotel room nights
341,200
total attendance for 2024 events hosted
$53.2 MILLION in direct visitor spending
COMMUNICATIONS
VisitPITTSBURGH’s Communications team played a vital role in elevating Pittsburgh’s profile on a global scale. Through strategic media outreach, compelling storytelling and innovative content creation, the team secured high-impact coverage that showcased the city’s vibrant culture, world-class attractions and dynamic events. By fostering relationships with top-tier journalists, influencers and media outlets, we amplified Pittsburgh’s reputation as a world-class destination for business events, sports and leisure travel—increasing awareness and ultimately inspiring more travel to the region.
7.9 BILLION earned media impressions
• 50 Best Vacations in the U.S. by Men’s Journal
• Top 100 Unexpected Global Travel Destination by National Geographic
• Best Mid-Sized, FamilyFriendly Sports City by WhereverFamily
• 15+ Accolades by USA Today 10Best Travel Awards:
2,200 total PR placements
44% increase yearover-year 13% increase yearover-year
$71.4 MILLION in earned advertising value
32 journalists & content creators hosted across 7 group trips and 3 individual visits, including guests from Canada and Mexico
Heinz History Center, #1 History Museum
Barrel & Flow Fest, #1 Beer Festival
Picklesburgh, #2 Best Specialty Food Festival
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, #2 Best Children’s Museum
Children’s Museum
Dustin McGrew
MARKETING
VisitPITTSBURGH’s Marketing team delivered data-driven campaigns that captivated audiences and inspired travel. Our “Pittsburgh Will Surprise You” campaign continued to showcase the city’s unexpected and unforgettable experiences in a bold way, driving strong digital engagement and return on ad spend. Through a sophisticated digital media strategy, the team reached core audience segments with precision, maximizing impact across paid advertising, co-op programs, social media, and VisitPITTSBURGH.com.
PAID DIGITAL ADVERTISING
270+ MILLION paid direct advertising impressions
$12.5 MILLION in hotel revenue generated
63,690 room nights booked as a result of direct advertising
SOCIAL MEDIA
1.24 MILLION engagements
282k total followers
40.3 MILLION impressions +28% aggregated growth across all social media platforms
59k new followers
30% increase yearover-year
Dustin McGrew
2.8 MILLION engaged sessions
BURGH101
DISCOUNT PASS
652 pass downloads
70+ participating partners
3.75 MILLION website users
KIDSBURGH PASS
1,511 pass downloads
921 MILLION media impressions
142 pieces of global PR coverage 71% global brand awareness
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
In 2024, VisitPITTSBURGH made significant strides in shaping the future of tourism through the first full year of its 10-Year Tourism Development Plan (TDP). This strategic roadmap guided efforts to expand visitor experiences, enhance local connectivity and support the long-term growth and development of the region’s hospitality workforce. A key focus for the team was strengthening industry collaboration, bringing new partners into the VisitPITTSBURGH network and offering several webinars, networking opportunities, and educational summits throughout the year to inform and inspire enhanced local collaboration.
• Established African American Tourism Advisory Council
• Created 10+ new neighborhood itineraries and blogs
• Developed first-ever paid Pittsburgh Pass
• Launched new group tour market strategy, representing 10-county MSA
• Expanded Emerging Festivals & Cultural Events Fund
$63k in funds dispersed 18 grant recipients
Dustin McGrew
Julie Kahlbaugh
OPERATIONS
In 2024, VisitPITTSBURGH’s Operations team maintained a strong foundation of fiscal responsibility, technological innovation and organizational excellence. Clean audits and a commitment to financial efficiency ensured the effective stewardship of resources, maximizing impact across all departments and initiatives. Data-driven research insights and a focus on state-of-the-art IT practices provided strategic decision-making guidance, while HR priorities focused on talent development, staff training and VisitPITTSBURGH’s positive workplace culture.
Dave DiCello
$12,870,316 in hotel tax income for 2024 7.19% over budget
| $14,790,738
Dustin McGrew