PRINTER'S NO. 2304
No. 188 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY GEIST, MELIO, FICHTER, BUNT, MASLAND, McGEEHAN,
RUBLEY, LYNCH, HERSHEY, HERMAN, S. H. SMITH, DEMPSEY, BARD,
STABACK, ARGALL, HUTCHINSON, MIHALICH, PETTIT, ZUG, STAIRS,
WALKO, STURLA, FLICK, LAUGHLIN, PISTELLA, GIGLIOTTI,
CHADWICK, BELARDI, DRUCE, HESS, DiGIROLAMO, D. W. SNYDER,
FAJT, B. SMITH, JOSEPHS, LaGROTTA, LEVDANSKY, VAN HORNE,
PESCI, TRELLO AND STERN, JUNE 27, 1995
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 27, 1995
A RESOLUTION
1 Relating to the development of a national system of heritage
2 tour routes.
3 WHEREAS, The establishment of the National Heritage Tour
4 Route Program would create a Federal/State partnership program
5 that will encourage, plan and set up a national system of
6 heritage tour routes and complementary projects such as trails
7 and bicycle routes; and
8 WHEREAS, As well as providing linkages for regional
9 communities and sites, this program would promote economic
10 development and resource conservation among America'a
11 communities and countryside. The program would focus on economic
12 development and heritage conservation and would embody an
13 integrated philosophy of highway development and, in fact, would
14 encourage development of alternative transportation initiatives
15 such as bike lanes and pullouts where appropriate; and
1 WHEREAS, From Lancaster County to Independence National
2 Historical Park, Americans and foreign visitors have made
3 tourism a leading United States industry. In 30 states, tourism
4 is among the top three employers. After health care, tourism is
5 the largest employer in the United States, representing the
6 third largest retail segment of the economy with sales more than
7 $400 billion. Growth of tourism is projected by the United
8 States Travel Data Service at 30% over the next ten years with
9 some segments at 40% to 50%; and
10 WHEREAS, Heritage tourism and rural tourism have become
11 leading growth segments of America's tourism industry. The
12 United States Travel and Tourism Administration's annual in-
13 flight survey of overseas visitors to the United States in 1993
14 ranked visits to historical places among the top five activities
15 and touring the countryside and visits to national parks among
16 the top ten activities; and
17 WHEREAS, The United States Department of Agriculture reports
18 that tourism, home-based businesses and small-scale retailing
19 are the leading areas of interest among rural communities
20 seeking technical assistance in economic development. For many
21 of America's rural and regional communities, real places where
22 people live, tourism development has become a hope for economic
23 regeneration; and
24 WHEREAS, Heritage tour routes provide a strategy to bring
25 people from towns and hamlets into regional coalitions; and
26 WHEREAS, The purpose of the National Heritage Tour Route
27 Program would be the promotion of economic development
28 initiatives through heritage tourism, promotion of interstate
29 commerce and the fostering of a greater appreciation of the
30 heritage upon which this country was founded and the resources
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1 which made this country great; and
2 WHEREAS, The process for the implementation of this program
3 would be regional in scope but would also ensure careful
4 consideration of local issues and resources; and
5 WHEREAS, The routes would also serve to link resources of
6 national interest, State heritage parks or State heritage
7 corridors and would enhance cooperation among these areas as
8 well as connect significant visitor destinations; and
9 WHEREAS, The heritage tour route program would be grass-
10 roots-driven and resource-based and would clearly reflect the
11 vision established by local consensus. It would be driven as
12 well by the natural, cultural and recreational resources of a
13 region, and it would focus on themes and resources that the
14 communities think are important to their community values. The
15 establishment of a tour route would be process-driven and
16 community-based; and
17 WHEREAS, The first national heritage tour route, the "Path of
18 Progress," was established in southwestern Pennsylvania; and
19 WHEREAS, The "Path of Progress" is facilitated by the
20 Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission in
21 partnership with numerous government bodies, public and private
22 organizations and individuals; therefore be it
23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives support the
24 establishment of a national system of heritage tour routes and
25 pledge the full support of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for
26 this initiative; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives endeavor to
28 support and encourage the development of regional heritage
29 development entities to facilitate this effort in partnership
30 with these entities in making this a viable program throughout
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1 this Commonwealth and across the Nation; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
3 "Path of Progress" as a Commonwealth heritage tour route and
4 shall support the "Path of Progress" as appropriate.
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