Harrisburg, PA — The Shapiro Administration is delivering on its commitment to grow Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy and those efforts were on full display this week at the Commonwealth’s first Outdoor Economy Summit and Industry Expo in Centre County — convening entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry leaders to strengthen and expand Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation sector.
Hosted by the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania (OBA PA), the summit marked an important step for Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy, convening Pennsylvania’s statewide outdoor recreation industry to enhance capital access, workforce development, small business growth, and private-public collaboration.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary for Technology and Entrepreneurship Jen Gilburg, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Deputy Executive Director Laurel Anders, Pennsylvania Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management Tim Haydt, and Pennsylvania Creative Industries Executive Director Karl Blischke, joined keynote speakers Jen Celmer, president and founder of Basecamp Outdoor; Ta Enos, author and CEO of the Pennsylvania Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship; and other outdoor industry leaders for the multiday event at Tussey Mountain Ski Area and The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center. The event provided a forum for outdoor businesses to connect, collaborate, and create plans that have a lasting impact.
“Outdoor recreation is a key and growing contributor to Pennsylvania’s economy, and the Shapiro Administration is committed to creating pathways and expanding opportunities to increase access to the outdoors, strengthen collaborations, and connect businesses to critical investments,” said Secretary Dunn. “We know that when we invest in outdoor recreation, we support quality jobs, thriving main streets, and stronger rural and urban economies — and the Outdoor Economy Summit and Industry Expo is another important step in strengthening the industry across Pennsylvania.”
The Shapiro Administration centers outdoor recreation as part of its broader economic development strategy, launching the Office of Outdoor Recreation, and continuing investments in parks, trails, tourism, and outdoor businesses across the Commonwealth. Governor Josh Shapiro’s investments in outdoor recreation are strengthening Pennsylvania’s economic growth, with new data showing the industry grew by $1.5 billion in 2024 — reaching $20.4 billion, outpacing the national growth rate, adding 9,000 jobs, and generating $9.5 billion in wages across the Commonwealth.
Outdoor recreation continues to be a key driver of economic growth, tourism, and quality of life across Pennsylvania, with the industry accounting for 2 percent of the Commonwealth’s GDP. Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has grown Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy by 21 percent, adding 12,000 jobs and raising wages in the outdoor workforce by nearly 25 percent.
Established through funding from the Pennsylvania Office of Outdoor Recreation and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the OBA PA created and delivered on several of its strategic core priorities to support outdoor recreation businesses, create family sustaining jobs, and grow the industry.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see OBA PA deliver real results so quickly for the outdoor recreation industry,” said Director Reigner. “We heard from more than 1,000 businesses statewide that they wanted opportunities to learn about ways to grow and strengthen their businesses, connect with other outdoor entrepreneurs, and highlight the jobs and economic contributions their businesses generate. The Outdoor Economy Summit and Industry Expo delivered, with great success, on all three of these fronts.”
“This inaugural summit was a key moment for Pennsylvania’s thriving outdoor sector to celebrate our $20.4 billion impact on the state's economy,” said Silas Chamberlin, Executive Director of the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania. “Our industry is coming away energized and more ready than ever to fulfill the Outdoor Business Alliance's mission to elevate the needs of PA’s 9,000-plus outdoor businesses and support their development, innovation, and growth.”
“As a well-established Pennsylvania outdoor recreation business, I was grateful to be able to share our experiences with other Pennsylvania outdoor businesses at the summit. By sharing what we’ve have learned, we’re helping other businesses succeed, fanning the entrepreneurial spirit of the outdoor recreation industry, and building a community that strengthens not only local economies, but also each other,” said Sierra Fogal, Co-Owner of Carbon County-based Pocono Whitewater, OBA PA President, and both attendee and panel expert of the Summit and Expo.
"It's exciting to witness and participate in the momentum happening in the outdoor recreation industry. The OBAPA Expo brought together exactly the kind of energy that makes Pennsylvania's outdoor industry so promising. DiamondBack's path, from a garage concept to a nationally recognized premium brand, isn't something we keep to ourselves. We share it because others can benefit from knowing that path exists, and that the right tools, mentors, and community are within reach here in Pennsylvania. This state doesn't just produce great outdoor gear, accessories, and experiences. It produces the leaders who build them,” said Ben Eltz, CEO of DiamondBack Truck Covers and both attendee and panel expert of the Summit and Expo. DiamondBack also hosted summit attendees to tour its manufacturing facility in Philipsburg and learn more about its operations.
“The pride I have in creating apparel and accessories that represent the people, places, and experiences that make Pennsylvania so special was matched with the pride I felt being part of a united recreation industry committed to lifting each other up. While we may compete in the marketplace, at the summit and expo we demonstrated that we can do more to strengthen our industry together,” said Avery Peechatka, Owner/Founder of RepPACo, LLC and its RepresentPA brand, a summit and expo attendee and exhibitor.
The Shapiro Administration continues to support Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy through investments in parks and trails, as well as Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway tourism campaign.
More information about Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy and the Office of Outdoor Recreation is available on the DCNR website.
What people are saying about Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Economy Summit and Industry Expo:
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