SHARON, Pa. – Peggy Mazyck views her role as president and CEO of VisitMercerCountyPA as not just promoting the Shenango Valley’s recreational attractions but improving them.
Mazyck will end her long tenure as head of the county tourism bureau – which she helped to launch as an independent entity in 1996 – at the end of September.
“My belief is that your product is equally important, if not more important, than marketing. Because when you have a great product, you don’t have to market so hard,” she says.
Although incorporated in 1963, the tourism agency was operated as part of the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce, where Mazyck served as assistant executive director, until the decision was made to separate the two entities.
“It was just time,” she says. The chamber board leadership “liked me a lot” and felt confident that the tourism operation could branch off.
Around the same time, the “five friends” – a group that included The Winner, Daffin’s Candies and Reyers’ Shoe Store – were jointly marketing their properties and some were providing funding for the new tourism bureau. A few years earlier, the outlet mall near Grove City, Pa., had opened and its marketing director was reaching out for suggestions and ideas.
Mazyck, along with officials in five other counties, recognized that they needed a more reliable source of income to fund under-resourced tourism operations. And so they worked with key players in their communities as well as legislators – including then-Rep. Rod Wilt – to push through legislation that permitted the six counties to levy a 2% hotel excise – or bed – tax in 1997.
That led to a statewide push to include all counties and legislation was enacted in 2000 approving a hotel excise tax of up to 3% for all counties. A 2016 change by lawmakers increased the amount counties are able to levy on hotels to 5%, the rate that Mercer County now collects.
“We got a little over $1 million this year,” Mazyck says.
Mazyck was instrumental in efforts to increase the revenue available to destination marketing organizations in Pennsylvania, Mark Longietti says. Longietti served 16 years in the commonwealth’s House of Representatives, including 12 on its tourism committee, and now is director of business and community development for the city of Hermitage.
“When you look at tourism, it requires advertising and public relations,” Longietti says. A study he cites shows that every dollar spent on marketing results in a return of $3.42 from people frequenting restaurants, staying in hotels and making other expenditures, which generates immediate sales tax revenue.
“Peggy was able to make that case to augment funding for local destination marketing organizations,” he says. “She developed very strong relationships” in Harrisburg and across the commonwealth and “helped put Mercer County on the map with people in Harrisburg.”
Funding Promotions
Programs that VisitMercerCountyPA has in place to boost local attractions include a cooperative advertising initiative that provides a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $20,000, for advertising that promotes overnight stays and a 50% match on advertising that promotes day trips. Another program covers half the cost of local billboards up to $1,000.
Other incentives include a new beautification program to help create a “wow factor” in downtowns and on main travel corridors, Mazyck says.
The tourism attraction development grant program provides up to $25,000 per approved project for new developments, expansions, renovations and improvements of tourist attractions in Mercer County. This fiscal year, $200,000 has been set aside for the program. To achieve maximum impact, the programs require matching funds.
“It’s not just about marketing. It’s also about the product because the product is critical,” she says. “We have put a lot of money into strengthening and expanding our product in Mercer County.” Mazyck says.
Laura Ackley, general manager of Buhl Mansion in Sharon, Pa., says Mazyck “is constantly thinking outside of the box. And it’s not just about promoting what we already have but improving what we have. We’re competing with so many destinations.”
Methods of marketing Mercer County have changed substantially over the years, with a greater emphasis on online marketing, such as targeted geofencing to attract specific constituencies to particular events.
The agency now prints about 50,000 visitor guides, compared with the 150,000 it used to print, Mazyck says.
Among the challenges Mercer County faces – and has faced since before Mazyck became involved in tourism promotion – is that it is primarily a weekend destination and doesn’t get the business travel that markets like Pittsburgh receive.
“We struggle with midweek,” she says.
In September the agency plans to launch a trial campaign to promote stays Sunday through Thursday. The golf “stay and play” package will include discounts on hotels and golf.
“You’re going to have a more relaxing time on the golf course,” she says. “Your rounds will be able to go faster.”
The package should be attractive to retirees or those who can take time off work during the week, Mazyck says.
Mercer County was in the path of the April 8 solar eclipse. Mazyck says hospitality properties were skeptical about how much business the event would bring. She recalls spending several months encouraging venues to participate.
“At first, they were telling me, ‘Oh, it’s just an eclipse. We’re not going to get much out of it,’ ” she says.
Response to the phenomenon ended up exceeding expectations.
Nearly all county hotels were sold out not just for the night before the event but the following night as well, bringing visitors from as far away as Nebraska and Puerto Rico. Venues hosting viewing parties or other activities tied to the event included Buhl Park, Grove City Premium Outlets and area wineries.
Longietti praises Mazyck for her role in establishing Sharon WaterFire, a now twice-annual arts festival that brings tens of thousands of people each year to the Shenango Valley. She also has been a “great partner” with Hermitage on its annual arts festival, night markets and Earth Day celebration, he says, and has worked closely with local attractions such as Buhl Mansion, Kraynak’s and Tara – A Country Inn.
“Peggy is somebody who has gained lot of wisdom over the years and has developed relationships. Tourism is a significant part of the Mercer County economy and Peggy can take credit for some of that,” Longietti says.
Succession Plan
Mazyck’s successor as president and CEO of Visit-MercerCounty PA is its vice president of marketing, Carmen Aiello. “He has a lot of insight into tourism and what needs to be done for future planning,” she says.
Mazyck has “an unbelievable depth of knowledge” not only about tourism but also business and finance, Aiello says.
He points to the advertising co-op and tourism attraction development grant programs as being among the great successes of Mazyck’s tenure. He predicts the new beautification grant program will prove to be popular as well.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to work alongside Peggy for the past 17 years,” Aiello says. “I ask her questions every day and she has the answers for them.”
Although Mazyck is stepping down from her role, she will remain as a consultant to the agency, as well as with other organizations that have asked for her assistance.
“I have to decide how much and how little I want to do. Because the whole point of retirement is to have more leisure time,” she says.
Pictured at top: Peggy Mazyck will step down in September. She will be succeeded by Carmen Aiello.