Study Confirms Impact of Route 6 on Area Tourism

Smethport Web — by Nathan Muller

According to a study released by the PA Route 6 Heritage Corp., Route 6 attracts 3.5 million travelers a year who spend about $90 million and support about 2,000 jobs, including part-time and seasonal positions.

According to Linda Devlin, executive director of the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau in Bradford, “People travel Route 6 for a sense of Americana as well as to see the quaint towns along the way.”

The study also revealed that half of the visitors to Route 6 are first-time visitors. More than 67% stay overnight in hotels, motels, B&Bs, or campgrounds. The average stay along Route 6 is 2.9 nights. The typical Route 6 travel party consists of one to four adults.

Devlin said the Mansion District in Smethport has become a big attraction among visitors in McKean County.

Survey data was paired with visitation statistics for specific sites within each heritage area and fed into an economic impact model developed by the National Park Service.