2018 was best year ever for Ohio tourism industry

Galion Inquirer
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COLUMBUS — Ohio’s tourism industry had another year of economic growth in 2018, creating a $46 billion tourism industry. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine spoke enthusiastically about the importance of Ohio’s tourism industry during his remarks at Ohio Tourism Day. The Ohio Tourism Day event was held at the Ohio Statehouse to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week.

“There is so much to see and do in Ohio,” said Governor DeWine. “We have great places to visit, art, culture, outdoor adventures, museums, and so much more. Tourism is not only fun, but it’s also such an important part of our economy. Tourism provides jobs and improves our quality of life.”

In 2018, direct visitor spending generated an estimated $46 billion in sales (including direct and indirect spending), up from $44 billion the previous year. Direct visitor spending in 2018 was estimated at $36 billion, an increase of one billion dollars from 2017.

The tourism industry also added 1,000 tourism-related jobs last year for a total of 429,000 jobs supported by tourism.

The number of tourism visits to and within Ohio increased from 219 million in 2017 to 222 million visits in 2018 – a new record! Of those 222 million visits last year, 44 million were overnight trips. Research shows that overnight visitors spend, on average, more than three times the amount spent by daytrip visitors ($116 for daytrips vs. $369 for overnight trips).

Tourism Economics conducted research for the study on behalf of TourismOhio which uses the data to track industry performance and monitor visitor trends. TourismOhio is released the data in conjunction with Ohio Tourism Day 2019, a free public event that celebrated the tourism industry and showcased more than 100 tourism experiences at the Ohio Statehouse on May 8.

Photo courtesy Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Two Humboldt penguin chicks recently hatched at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The first penguin chick, a male, hatched on April 3 and is being cared for by his foster parents Ava and Gunter. The second chick, also a male, hatched on April 7, and his foster parents are Tressel and Watson, which this is their first time parenting together. Here is a look at their first baby pictures. The chicks are taking swimming lessons and learning to eat fish from our animal care team’s hands while being cared for by their respective foster parents.
https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2019/05/web1_Tourism-Ohio-stuff.jpgPhoto courtesy Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Two Humboldt penguin chicks recently hatched at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The first penguin chick, a male, hatched on April 3 and is being cared for by his foster parents Ava and Gunter. The second chick, also a male, hatched on April 7, and his foster parents are Tressel and Watson, which this is their first time parenting together. Here is a look at their first baby pictures. The chicks are taking swimming lessons and learning to eat fish from our animal care team’s hands while being cared for by their respective foster parents.

https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2019/05/web1_humboldt-penguin.jpg

 

Staff report

 

 

TourismOhio, operating within the state of Ohio’s Development Services Agency, works to position Ohio as a destination of choice to enrich lives through authentic travel experiences. The branding Ohio. Find It Here. supports Ohio’s $46 billion tourism industry. For more, visit Ohio.org.

 

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