10/05/2026
GO Laurel Highlands Rebrands as Laurel Highlands Tourism
LIGONIER, Pa. – Following a record-breaking year for tourism in the Laurel Highlands, the region’s official destination marketing organization has introduced a new name and look designed to build on growing national and international recognition.
The organization announced Monday that it is now operating as Laurel Highlands Tourism, replacing its GO Laurel Highlands name. It also unveiled a new logo featuring “Laurel Highlands Pennsylvania” and introduced its new website address, LaurelHighlandsPA.com.
Visitors spent a record $2.35 billion in the Laurel Highlands in 2025, setting a new high for the fourth consecutive year, according to the state’s newly released Economic Impact of Visitors to Pennsylvania report. Visitor spending in the region – defined as Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties – rose 9.1% from 2024, the highest growth rate among Pennsylvania’s 11 tourism regions.
Tourism supported 24,098 jobs in the Laurel Highlands in 2025, accounting for 12.3% of the region’s employment.
“In February, our organization engaged with Miles Partnership, an agency that conducted research on our region and brand,” Laurel Highlands Tourism executive director Ann Nemanic said. “The discovery process landed on a platform for our future which was defined in a statement that takes Laurel Highlands Tourism into our next chapter.”
That statement is “We believe in deeply satisfying experiences that should restore you, strengthen connection and leave you fulfilled rather than depleted. The best experiences aren’t one-and-done moments. They’re the ones that feel complete in the moment, layer over time, and are meaningful long after you return home.”
The new logo features “Laurel Highlands” in bold blue lettering above “Pennsylvania” in green, identifying the destination’s location for travelers unfamiliar with the region.
Over the past several years, the region has been featured in publications including Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, The Washington Post, The New York Times and USA Today. The organization has also hosted travel writers from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Australia.
Laurel Highlands Tourism has collaborated with dozens of content creators whose combined social media audiences number in the millions and actively participates in tourism initiatives through VisitPA, VisitPittsburgh and the Pittsburgh International Airport.
As a Preferred Vacation Destination of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Laurel Highlands benefits from joint promotions connecting the region with the team’s global fan base. Laurel Highlands Tourism’s sponsorship of the Steelers’ 2026 schedule release generated 42.2 million impressions, while advertising tied to the team’s 2025 game in Dublin extended its marketing efforts into Ireland.
“Our vision is for the Laurel Highlands to be a destination that is recognized globally,” said Jennifer Benford, Laurel Highlands Tourism’s senior director of marketing. “As we look beyond our traditional markets and introduce the region to new audiences, incorporating ‘Pennsylvania’ into our logo immediately gives travelers a sense of place. It strengthens our identity, builds recognition and gives us a clearer, more powerful way to introduce the Laurel Highlands to the world.”
Founded in 1958, the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau operates under the Laurel Highlands Tourism name. The organization previously did business as GO Laurel Highlands beginning in 2020.
“We are confident we now have a strong logo that firmly defines who we are and the fact we are a regional destination in Pennsylvania,” Nemanic said. “The new logo has subtle hints of our landscape. No frills, just a distinct mark.”
Laurel Highlands Tourism has begun replacing its branding across the region and in its advertising campaigns, which target audiences in Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and the United Kingdom.
“What you will see is an impactful brand in our fall marketing campaigns,” Nemanic said. “Gone is GO LH, and we now have Laurel Highlands Pennsylvania – bold, stable, impactful and a bit edgy.”
