Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger this week unveiled a new report highlighting how the commonwealth’s tourism industry has grown by $6.4 billion and 13,427 jobs since Gov. Josh Shapiro took office.
The new report, produced by Tourism Economics, shows the commonwealth’s tourism industry had an $87.2 billion impact on Pennsylvania’s economy last year — supporting 521,021 jobs, generating $5.2 billion in state and local taxes, and welcoming 206.2 million visitors.
“This new report reinforces that we are truly The Great American Getaway,” said Siger. “We created the first economic development strategy in two decades, secured key funding for tourism initiatives and programs, and continue to ensure the world knows that Pennsylvania has exciting and authentic experiences for every traveler.”
Key highlights from the 2025 Economic Impact of Visitors to Pennsylvania report include:
• 206.2 million visitors to the commonwealth, up from nearly 4.6 million in 2024.
• $51.6 billion in visitor spending, a 3.5% increase from 2024.
• $87.2 billion in total economic impact, an increase of $3.3 billion from 2024.
• 521,021 total jobs for Pennsylvanians supported through events, hospitality, and the food and beverage industry.
• $5.2 billion in state and local tax revenue.
Additionally, Pennsylvania was recently awarded three U.S. Travel ESTO Awards recognizing Pennsylvania’s excellence and creativity for destination marketing, honoring local and state tourism initiatives and organizations. This is the first time any state or destination has received three ESTO awards in a single year.
Groundbreaking held for $94M veterinary diagnostic lab at UPenn
State and University of Pennsylvania officials broke ground this week on a $94 million laboratory at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center, the large-animal campus of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Andrew M. Hoffman, dean of the veterinary school, called the project a milestone for Pennsylvania’s $132 billion agriculture industry.
“Science continues to reveal critical connections between animal health, human health, and the health of our environment,” Redding said. “Penn Vet has been at the center of discovery that deepens and reinforces those connections.”
When completed, the 63,000-square-foot Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, will bring together the New Bolton Center laboratory and the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology Research Laboratory, which serve agricultural producers, public health officials, public and private veterinarians, and horse racing officials statewide.
VDL’s current operations at the New Bolton Center are state-supported with more than $39 million invested in Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget.
The new Penn Vet lab will increase research and testing capacity under the umbrella of the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS), which expanded earlier this year for the first time since the state established the system in 1991, adding a fourth lab in Western Pennsylvania.
The four-lab system is a state-funded partnership to support and speed animal health and disease detection and prevention statewide.
During the last state fiscal year, July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026, PADLS labs tested 669,788 animal specimens, performing critical tests for monitoring diseases like avian influenza, rabies, chronic wasting disease, equine herpesvirus, and others.
Sen. Culver’s Alice’s Law advances from Senate committee
Legislation sponsored by Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-Northumberland, to establish a statewide Older Adult Abuse Registry advanced this week after the Senate Aging and Youth Committee approved it, as amended.
Senate Bill 807, known as Alice’s Law, would create the registry as an additional safeguard intended to prevent individuals accused or convicted of abusing older adults from moving between caregiving positions. The legislation would amend Pennsylvania’s Older Adults Protective Services Act and establish requirements for the creation, maintenance and use of the registry.
“Today’s committee vote moves Alice’s Law another step forward and continues the work Lynn Fiedler began by sharing her mother’s story,” Culver said. “Alice’s experience brought attention to gaps in the protections available for older adults and their families. I appreciate Lynn’s continued advocacy and the work that has gone into refining this legislation as it moves through the Senate.”
Alice’s Law is named in memory of Alice Longenberger, who endured abuse while receiving care at a facility. Her daughter, Lynn Fiedler, founded Journey to Justice to raise awareness of elder abuse and advocate for stronger protections for older and care-dependent Pennsylvanians.
The amendment adopted by the committee places responsibility for establishing and maintaining the registry with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, in consultation with the Pennsylvania departments of Aging and Health. It also clarifies definitions and the criteria for placement on the registry, establishes reporting requirements related to criminal convictions and provides notice and an opportunity for administrative review before an individual is placed on the registry.
“The changes made today provide greater clarity around how the registry would operate, the agencies responsible for it and the process for individuals who may be placed on it,” Culver said.
Senate Bill 807 has bipartisan co-sponsorship and now advances from the Senate Aging and Youth Committee for further consideration by the Senate.
Pennsylvania State Police announces opening of new trooper hiring cycle
The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) opened a new selection cycle this week for women and men considering a rewarding career as a state trooper.
Since Shapiro took office, violent crime has gone down 16%, and homicides have decreased by 39%. The 2026-27 state budget, which invests $16.2 million to support four additional cadet classes for the PSP, approximately 380 Troopers, delivering in full on his core promise to put 2,000 more law enforcement officers and Troopers on the beat in our communities.
To date, the governor has secured funding for 16 cadet classes to train more than 1,600 new State Troopers and obtained funding through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to help municipal police departments recruit and retain nearly 700 municipal police officers across the commonwealth.
The Shapiro administration eliminated the college requirement for applicants in August of 2023. The PSP saw a 69% increase in applicants in 2025 compared to 2022, when the college credit requirement was still in place.
“Every single day across the commonwealth, the men and women of the Pennsylvania State Police answer the call to serve, protect, and make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve,” said Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens, acting commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.
Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED certificate and a valid driver’s license from any state. They must be at least 20 years old at the time of application, and they must be at least 21 years old and cannot have reached age 40 upon entry into the PSP Academy.
Cadet training lasts approximately 28 weeks and includes formal coursework in Pennsylvania’s crimes and vehicle codes, physical fitness activities, and training in police vehicles, firearms, and specialized equipment.
Upon completion of the PSP Academy, cadets are promoted to the rank of Trooper and, after five years of service, can earn approximately $103,319.
Applications for the current cadet hiring cycle should be submitted via the commonwealth’s employment website by Nov. 27, 2026.
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Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.