Tourism important to Ohio, our region

Final week, the Division of Improvement’s TourismOhio division reported 2021 was the second-best 12 months for customer spending — $46.9 billion and 219 million guests — which the division says supported roughly 411,000 jobs.

These numbers present tourism within the Buckeye State is nicely on its solution to recovering from the slowdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, they usually simply miss equaling the state’s document 12 months for tourism, 2019, when the state generated $48 billion in spending and 226 million visits, which supported 429,000 jobs.

The state, Gov. Mike DeWine identified, gives all kinds of issues to see and do, from locations and experiences to an impressive park system. And, in accordance with Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Division of Improvement, Ohio is inside a day’s drive of 60 % of the inhabitants of the US.

“Whether or not you’re trying to do issues a bit of low-key, whether or not you’re a foodie and also you’re trying to discover completely different meals scenes, actually fairly frankly what’s nice about Ohio is simply the number of issues to do,” mentioned Mihalik. “Ohio is a good place to go to as a result of it’s straightforward to get to, however it’s additionally a very easy place to journey round. And there’s a lot to see and to do, from touring as much as Amish Nation or touring right down to the Ohio River.”

The Ohio River is among the many points of interest for these contemplating whether or not to go to the Buckeye State. Contemplate our quick area, for example: The portion of state Route 7 that runs by means of our area has been designated as a part of the Ohio River Scenic Byway.

There’s historical past to discover, together with Steubenville’s Historic Fort Steuben and the Quaker Assembly Home in Dillonvale. There are museums and occasions devoted to the legendary actor Clark Gable in his hometown of Cadiz and George Armstrong Custer in his hometown of New Rumley. There are numerous gala’s and festivals held which magnetize guests from all components of the nation — and the world — together with the Dean Martin Competition and the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Meals Competition and, in fact, Steubenville’s Nutcracker Village. There may be the yearly assembly at Hole Rock, and outside summer season concert events in communities together with Toronto, Steubenville, Mingo Junction and Sensible.

Road gala’s equivalent to Wednesdays in Wintersville and First Fridays on Fourth in Steubenville draw guests from throughout the Tri-State Space.

All of it provides as much as some huge cash for space communities — TourismOhio studies that the common spending per individual on a day journey is $115, and the common per individual for an in a single day keep is $343.

All of that cash coming into the state makes the {dollars} spent selling tourism an important funding — TourismOhio reported that each greenback spent on its promoting marketing campaign in 2021 resulted in $83 in direct customer spending and $6 in tax income.

Space residents are conscious of how great our area may be, and simply how a lot it has to supply, significantly for guests who might need determined to trip a bit of nearer to dwelling with gasoline costs being as excessive as they’re.

We have to proceed to make sure that those that function our native points of interest and occasions stay hospitable, useful and good ambassadors for our communities. Doing so will assist to ensure that vacationers will share their optimistic experiences with associates and neighbors, which is able to entice new guests — and hold them coming again to take pleasure in all that our space has to supply.