The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board has kicked off a summer-long social media marketing campaign that highlights Montgomery County’s dining options.
The campaign — “Summer Tastes Better in Montco” — launched on Memorial Day and will run through Labor Day, via advertising on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, according to a press release. It invites residents and visitors in the Philadelphia region to explore Montgomery County’s restaurants, breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
“We know that consumers, especially Gen Z’ers and millennials, are increasingly turning to social media to discover new restaurants,” Samantha Cole, Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board’s director of public relations, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to put a spotlight on Montgomery County’s diverse culinary experiences, cuisines, and offerings all summer long in a creative way that benefits not only restaurant owners but social media users alike.”
Montgomery County boasts more than 2,000 restaurants and Montco Makers (craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries). The campaign seeks to entice restaurant-goers to explore the variety of options — locally owned restaurants, classic American diners, luxurious, coffee shops and bakeries, and celebrity-owned establishments.
The campaign is also promoting dining experiences like the Cooking Studio — a state-of-the-art, hands-on cooking studio to host private events, team buildings, bachelorette parties, and more, according to the release. The Cooking Studio is located in Telford, and is owned and operated by Chef Shelby Fahrni, who was recently featured on Food Network’s “Chopped.”
The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board worked with AgileCat — a Philadelphia branding and advertising agency — and Vine PR on the creative assets and social media buy for the campaign, the agency said. The advertising campaign will use targeted ads throughout the Philadelphia region, served to users from the @VisitValleyForge accounts.
Users will be pushed to www.valleyforge.org/restaurants to view a complete list of restaurants and download the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board’s annual dining guide.
More MontcoTourism News
Earlier this month the tourism board hosted its annual Travel Rally — an event that celebrates Montgomery County as a tourism destination and updates attendees on upcoming initiatives.
During the May 6 event, Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board President and CEO Mike Bowman said tourism continues to keep the county’s economy moving.
“This industry remains a huge positive economic driver in Montgomery County, contributing more than $1.7 billion, and more than 25,000 jobs. We know for a fact travel’s positive momentum is going to continue,” Bowman said in a statement.
The Valley Forge Tourism Board’s sports team is working to top 2023’s record-breaking year for sports activities in Montgomery County, according to a press release. In 2024, the agency is hosting more than 110 events throughout the county, with an estimated $75 million in economic impact and more than 100,000 room nights.
Among the major sports tourism events this year are the YMCA Gymnastics Nationals in June, which are expected to have an economic impact of $6 million over five days. In July, Umoja Games — the largest Muslim soccer tournament in the world comes to the county, followed in December by the U.S. Master Weightlifting and North American Championships.
Looking ahead to 2026, the agency noted that the FIFA World Cup is anticipated to bring 600,000 people to the region.
Another record, according to the agency was the 18th Annual Revolutionary 5-Mile Run & Walk in Valley Forge National Historical Park, with almost 1,300 participants. Held in April, the event saw sponsorship hit a record-setting $70,000 with 41 county partners. Valley Forge Tourism was able to contribute $80,000 to the park — its largest annual donation to date — bringing the organization’s lifetime total donation to almost $700,000.
In addition to unveiling the “Summer Tastes Better in Montco” summer dining campaign, the tourism agency announced the return of its Montco Jazz Fest, Sept. 19 through Sept. 22, featuring more than 30 performances at more than 25 Montgomery County venues. The American Revolution Show also returned this year, with performances at Washington Memorial Chapel scheduled through June 10.
The tourism board is also continuing its Free-K Out summer marketing campaign which positions Montgomery County as the ultimate, affordable family destination. The campaign includes a streaming presence on Hulu, ESPN, & Disney+, a Spotify partnership, and advertising with the New York Times, the agency said.
On July 1, Valley Forge Tourism will launch its America250 marketing campaign, two years ahead of the country’s 250th birthday — highlighting Montgomery County as a destination to visit during the huge anniversary.
The agency has also launched a sustainability campaign, focused on the ways visitors can travel responsibly and sustainably in Montgomery County. It features a new webpage, sustainablemontco.org.
The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board is also launching a new quarterly golf newsletter that will take the place of the Montco Golf Guide.
The agency’s 2024 Visitor’s Guide can be viewed by visiting: https://issuu.com/valleyforgetourism/docs/digitaledition_pavfg24
For additional information visit valleyforge.org.
