The state's tourism industry deserves positive notice for the jobs gain it recorded during the past year.

In 2005, tourism had its best year in a decade, gaining 13,000 jobs.

Robert Uguccioni, executive director of the Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau, said the industry is adding everything from new factory outlet stores to country inns to amusement parks.

"In many cases, we have a shortage of employees," Uguccioni said. "So, I'm not surprised to see the employment figures are up, but I think they'd be up higher if we could fill the jobs we have available."

The positive tourism jobs report is partly a product of the soon-to-be-implemented slot-machine gambling, which will increase state tourist numbers markedly. With more people coming to the state, many of whom will be making their first trek here, counties such as Butler must seek to capitalize on that increased tourist trade as much as possible.

The slots won't be in Butler County, but the close proximity of Allegheny County means this county has the potential to be impacted in a significant way, if its tourism leaders do enough to get the word out about the county's assets and provide incentives for visiting here.

No doubt many other counties will be embarking on such a put-on-the-best-face initiative in the months ahead.