PennDOT & PA DCED Team Up to Promote Governor Rendell's Tourism Initiative

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New 'Visit PA' Web Site Featured On Updated Drivers' Licenses, Photo ID Cards, Standard-Issue License Plates

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania State Transportation Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E. today announced that PennDOT and the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) have joined together in an effort to promote travel and tourism, the Commonwealth's second largest industry, across the state.

As a result of the collaboration, PennDOT is now issuing an updated standard-issue license plate that displays the Commonwealth's official tourism Web site, http://www.visitpa.com/. An updated design of the Pennsylvania Driver's License and Photo ID Card, which will also display the http://www.visitPA.com site, is slated for issuance in the near future.

"Having the new Web address on our license plates, drivers' licenses and photo ID cards is not only a great way to tout Pennsylvania, but is also a unique and innovative approach to reach a wide audience and support one of Governor Rendell's key initiatives: promoting the Commonwealth as a prominent travel and tourist destination for Pennsylvanians and out-of-state visitors," Secretary Biehler said.

PennDOT will also promote tourism through direct customer product mailings. Beginning this month, persons who live in the Philadelphia area and receive a vehicle registration, driver's license or photo ID card renewal notice will find a promotional insert highlighting the Philadelphia Flower Show and Phlash, a purple trolley that takes visitors to the variety of cultural attractions, events and hotels in Center City, in their mailing. Depending on the tourism message, the inserts included in the renewal notice mailings will be sent to targeted geographic audiences or to customers statewide. The inserts will be mailed each month through December 2005.

"This is a terrific opportunity for the Tourism Office and we are pleased that PennDOT has allowed us to promote our Web site and tourism messages in such an unusual medium," said Mickey Rowley, Deputy Secretary of Tourism in the Department of Community and Economic Development. "Nearly forty percent of our travelers are Pennsylvanians and this is a cost-effective and efficient approach to speak to them directly."

PennDOT began issuing the updated license plate to customers at Harrisburg's Driver & Vehicle Services Center. As inventories of the previously designed license plates are exhausted, other locations will begin issuing the updated license plate.

"Persons who have a license plate, driver's license or photo ID card in the previous design are not required to have their product replaced," added Biehler. "All license plates and drivers' licenses or photo ID cards that are currently in use are still valid."

For more information about Pennsylvania's tourism industry, visit http://www.visitpa.com/, or call (800) VISIT PA. To find out more information about any PennDOT driver's license or vehicle registration-related products or services, visit PennDOT's Driver & Vehicle Services http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/.

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