Ohio attracted a record 207 million visits in 2015; is campaigning for more

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio attracted a record 207 million visits to the state in 2015, an increase of 3.5 percent over the year before.
Those visits -- more easily counted than visitors -- yielded $33 billion in direct spending and helped support 420,000 jobs, according to TourismOhio, the state's tourism bureau.

The agency on Wednesday released economic data collected by Longwoods International and Tourism Economics, who track the impact of the travel industry through surveys and other methods.

Among the findings: Of the 207 million total trips to Ohio, 41 million were overnight visits – which are much more coveted because of the extra money spent by travelers. Day-trip travelers spend an average of $110, versus $354 for overnight travelers, according to research.

The state is hoping for even bigger boost in its tourism numbers next year, after the launch this year of a new tourism brand and $6 million advertising campaign.

TourismOhio unveiled its new brand – "Find It Here" – late last year, which is currently being featured in an ongoing advertising campaign, both in Ohio and surrounding states.

Said Mary Cusick, director of TourismOhio, "We look forward to continuing to build momentum and turn heads to Ohio as a tourism destination this year. We are working with our tourism industry partners to complement their marketing efforts and amplify the Ohio brand as well."

The state has set several goals for the campaign, to be reached by 2018: to increase overall visits to 234 million, overnight visits to 44 million and direct spending to $40 billion.

A "visit" is defined as a trip to a tourist sight that is "outside someone's normal routine," according to a state spokeswoman. "Visits" are more easily and accurately counted than "visitors," according to researchers.

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