ALLENTOWN, Pa. — During her undergraduate years at Muhlenberg College, Kaitie Burger didn’t even know the destination marketing industry existed.
Burger received a degree in media and communications and was involved in the local arts, with a particular passion for dance and theater.
She studied abroad in London, and previously traveled to other states and countries.
“That was really my first introduction to tourism and I just kind of fell in love with it and stuck with it ever since.”Katie Burger
But it wasn't until after her graduation that she realized those interests could lead to a career path.
Last month, Burger, of Bethlehem, accepted a new role as executive director for the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.
Burger grew up in Montoursville, Lycoming County, so her roots are in Pennsylvania.
After graduating from Muhlenberg in Allentown, she said, she “stumbled” into a role at Discover Lehigh Valley, the regional tourism bureau, through connecting with alumni.
“That was really my first introduction to tourism and I just kind of fell in love with it and stuck with it ever since,” Burger said.
Working on the Discover Lehigh Valley marketing team, Burger said she frequently collaborated with other teams, which helped her understand the industry from all sides and gave her a well-rounded view of tourism.
Broader horizons
After eight years at Discover Lehigh Valley, Burger made a switch in 2020 and began working with Madden Media, a tourism marketing agency.
In that role, Burger broadened her horizons by working with destinations across the country such as Buffalo, New York; Atlanta, Georgia; and Provincetown, Massachusetts.
But still living in Bethlehem while working for Madden Media remotely, Burger stayed connected to her home state.
“Pennsylvania is in her blood, and her understanding of not just Pennsylvania tourism, but how the competitive environment is outside of Pennsylvania, is going to give her a better ability to position Pennsylvania for the future," Madden Media Chief Executive Officer Dan Janes said.
"And continue to make sure that tourism is making an impact to the local communities while also attracting new visitors internationally and domestically, as well.”
“Pennsylvania has always been home and that's where so much of that background for me is. So when this role became an opportunity for me to go after with the state level, it just felt like a no-brainer.”Kaitie Burger, executive director of the Pennsylvania Tourism Office
While working at Madden Media, Burger got a master's degree at Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Burger said making the jump to a government position has been a big one and required adjustments. But she said her past roles at Discover Lehigh Valley and Madden Media prepared her for it.
“Being on the destination side, on house at the nonprofit level, then moving to the private agency side, really helped me set the stage to move into this position,” she said.
“Pennsylvania has always been home and that's where so much of that background for me is. So when this role became an opportunity for me to go after with the state level, it just felt like a no-brainer.”
A new role in a familiar place
Despite her love for international travel, Burger said you don't have to leave Pennsylvania to see amazing sites and places.
VisitPA.com, the state tourism department’s website, is using the marketing tagline The Great American Getaway.
Burger said she loves the phrase because, in Pennsylvania, there is a little bit of everything, so a trip can be anything you want it to be.
“If you’re looking for an experience to get into the big cities and immerse yourself in the arts and cultures and nightlife, we’ve got great locations for that,” she said.
“If you’re looking for the outdoors, Pennsylvania, I think, has one of the most underrepresented, under-recognized outdoor recreation scenes in the country.”
Burger said her new job focuses on marketing initiatives to draw people into the state and to push them to less-often-visited parts.
“Within Pennsylvania, sure we want people within the state to travel from one side to the other and stay the night and explore things, but we’re really also looking for people outside of the state to come in,” she said.
Burger said there are 72 million people who live within a four-hour driving radius of Pennsylvania.
One of her main goals in her new role is to “spread the love” across the state and encourage those people to diversify their itineraries to visit more rural areas and showcase some of the state’s hidden gems.
Among these gems, Burger said, are the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, the Pocono Mountains, Presque Isle State Park, Elk County and Wellsboro during the winter season.
More attention for lesser-known areas
She also pointed to Pennsylvania’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are landmarks and areas selected by the United Nations for legal protection because of their historic, cultural or scientific significance.
There are 26 such sites in the United States and Pennsylvania is tied with New Mexico for having the most of any state.
The three in Pennsylvania are Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Moravian Church Settlements in Bethlehem, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater House in Fayette County.
Burger said that while big cities such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh often are entry points for travelers, especially international ones, the lesser-known parts of Pennsylvania deserve the same attention.
She said her goal is to hook people and get them interested in Pennsylvania, show them the wide range of options available throughout the state, and then help funnel them into regional tourism bureaus that will give them more specific information about where to stay, eat and find activities.
Burger’s desire to support local tourism organizations is exciting to Melissa Beaverson, the director of destination marketing at Explore York, the regional tourism bureau of tourism for York.
Beaverson previously was a client of Burger when she worked for Madden Media.
“She’ll be able to draw on that experience [at Discover Lehigh Valley] when she’s connecting with people across the state," Beaverson said.
"She’s been at that level sort of in the trenches, so I think she’ll be able to use that experience along with her ability to connect with people to be successful in the role."
