The Hershey Partnership - Hershey PA Chamber of Commerce

What The Hershey Partnership - Hershey PA Chamber of Commerce does

The Hershey Partnership is an independent, non-profit Chamber of Commerce founded in 1994 through the merger of the former Hershey Business Association and the Hospitality Association of Hershey, operating from 1135 E. Chocolate Ave. in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It serves member businesses across the greater Hershey area and surrounding Central Pennsylvania counties (Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, Cumberland, York, Franklin, Adams, and Perry), providing business networking, cooperative marketing, professional development, and tourism promotion. The organization holds the role of Official Visitor Center for Hershey and distributes promotional materials to millions of annual visitors through its Hershey Partnership Information Center.

The Partnership's core offerings include a tiered annual membership program ($200-$520/year based on category), an online member directory, an events calendar with iCalendar export, and the signature annual publication Your Guide to Chocolate Town USA, which prints approximately 100,000 copies distributed through Pennsylvania Welcome Centers, Central PA Turnpike rest stops, Hersheypark, Hershey's Chocolate World, The Hotel Hershey, and member businesses. Additional programming includes monthly networking breakfasts, six active member committees (Professional Development, Destination, Membership, Local Link, Networking, Marketing), and the annual Hershey Soup Cook-Off, the 20th edition of which is scheduled for September 26, 2026. The organization also maintains a reciprocal arrangement with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC and regional partnerships with multiple Central PA visitors bureaus.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership dues and publication advertising, governed by a 21-person volunteer board of directors (9 directors plus 3 officers) and staffed by 1-10 employees. The organization operates without a parent company, patents, or proprietary technology, and it does not publicly disclose revenue. Its strategic posture is stable and community-anchored, with a stated mission of promoting the Greater Hershey Area as a year-round destination.

Name

The Hershey Partnership - Hershey PA Chamber of Commerce

Legal name

The Hershey Partnership

Website

https://hersheypartnership.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Hershey Partnership is a non-profit Chamber of Commerce founded in 1994 that provides membership services, business networking, and tourism promotion to SMB member businesses across the greater Hershey, PA area and surrounding Central Pennsylvania counties, operating the Official Visitor Center and distributing an annual visitor guide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hershey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The primary revenue stream comes from annual membership dues paid by local businesses, categorized by geographic location. Membership provides access to networking events, advertising opportunities, directory listings, and promotional services through the organization's publications and website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Hershey Partnership is a non-profit chamber of commerce founded in 1994 that supports local businesses in Hershey, PA through membership programs, networking events, and tourism promotion. It also serves as a visitor information center for Chocolate Town USA, producing publications like "Your Guide to Chocolate Town USA" and hosting signature community events such as the Annual Hershey Soup Cook-Off.

Product overview

The Hershey Partnership is a Chamber of Commerce organization offering a portfolio of membership services, visitor information resources, and community events. The core offerings include an annual publication (Your Guide to Chocolate Town USA), an online member business directory, and an events calendar. The organization provides networking opportunities through monthly breakfast meetings and hosts the Annual Hershey Soup Cook-Off. The Hershey Information Center serves as the official visitor center for the area, distributing maps and member promotional materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered historic, core and minor.

• Former Hershey Business AssociationhistoricStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994The Hershey Partnership was formed in 1994 from a coordinated merger between the former Hershey Business Association and the Hospitality Association of Hershey. The term 'Partnership' was chosen specifically because of its inclusiveness between both tourism and local business interests.
• Hospitality Association of HersheyhistoricStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994The Hershey Partnership was formed in 1994 from a coordinated merger between the former Hershey Business Association and the Hospitality Association of Hershey. The term 'Partnership' was chosen specifically because of its inclusiveness between both tourism and local business interests.
• Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHershey Partnership members receive attendance at Harrisburg Regional Chamber events at the member rate. This partnership extends networking opportunities and regional business connections beyond the Hershey area to Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties.
• Pennsylvania Welcome CenterscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Hershey Partnership distributes Your Guide to Chocolate Town USA publications to all Pennsylvania Welcome Centers, providing visibility for member businesses to travelers entering and exiting Pennsylvania.
• Cumberland Valley Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partnership promoting visitor travel to the Cumberland Valley area, complementing Hershey area tourism promotion efforts.
• Visit Lebanon ValleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partnership promoting Lebanon Valley as a visitor destination, working with The Hershey Partnership to promote regional attractions and local businesses.
• PA Dutch Convention and Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partnership promoting Lancaster County and Amish Country attractions, complementing Hershey area tourism promotion.
• York County Convention & Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism partnership promoting York County attractions and local businesses, extending regional tourism network.
• Central PA Turnpike Rest StopscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Hershey Partnership distributes Your Guide to Chocolate Town USA to all Central Pennsylvania Turnpike rest stops, reaching millions of travelers annually with information about Hershey area businesses.
• Hershey Volunteer Fire CompanycoreOthersThe Hershey Partnership organizes the annual Soup Cook-Off with proceeds going to the Hershey Volunteer Fire Company. The 20th Annual Soup Cook-Off on September 26, 2026 aims to double the previous donation to the HVFC.
• Messner Publications, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMessner Publications handles the design and printing of Your Guide to Chocolate Town USA publication. Contact for advertising opportunities: 717-579-6013. The company is also led by Ann Messner, President of The Hershey Partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• PA Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau: DMO promoting Lancaster County and PA Dutch Country as a tourism destination. Comparable CVB function with overlapping Central PA visitor base; formal partner of The Hershey Partnership.
• Greater York Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber serving York County, PA. Comparable in scale, SMB member profile, and Central PA regional tourism economy; complements Hershey Partnership's outreach footprint.
• Lancaster Chamber: Chamber of commerce serving Lancaster County, PA—a similarly-sized Central PA business community with comparable SMB membership focus, visitor economy, and tourism-driven member base.
• Discover Lancaster: Official DMO for Lancaster County, PA. Comparable in function as a tourism promotion organization distributing visitor guides and promoting member businesses to travelers in Central PA.
• Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau: Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) serving the Cumberland Valley region. Comparable as a CVB promoting visitor economy to member businesses; formal marketing partner of The Hershey Partnership.
• York County Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit York): DMO promoting York County as a visitor destination. Comparable as a regional CVB distributing visitor guides and promoting member businesses; formal Hershey Partnership partner.
• Visit Lebanon Valley: Regional tourism promotion organization for Lebanon Valley, PA. Directly comparable DMO function and an active marketing partner of The Hershey Partnership.
• Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber serving Lebanon County, PA. Comparable geographic scope, SMB-focused membership, and partnership overlap with Hershey-area tourism promotion.
• Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC: Regional chamber of commerce serving the greater Harrisburg/Cumberland/Dauphin/Perry County area. Directly comparable as a PA-based regional chamber serving overlapping geographic territory; already an active cross-promotion partner.

Broad incumbents

• Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry: Statewide chamber of commerce representing Pennsylvania businesses across all industries. Operates at a much broader geographic and industry scope than Hershey Partnership but shares core chamber membership/networking/advocacy functions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-hershey-partnership---hershey-pa-chamber-of-commerce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Hershey Partnership - Hershey PA Chamber of Commerce