It’s here! It’s here! As the spring blossoms give way to leafy green trees and the smell of fresh cut grass is in the air, it must be time for leisure travel to pick up in Ohio! For many Tourism Industry partners across the state, the May-October period is the biggest source of revenue generation for the year. Every May, many of us hold our breath in excited anticipation of what the season will bring in terms of visitation.
This year, we are delighted to help Ohio’s Tourism Industry usher in the season by celebrating Ohio Tourism Month and National Tourism Week! We have been putting out the call for our kick-off celebration in front of the Statehouse and many of you have answered. Our team and partners are working hard to put together a true celebration of our Industry. Please join us at 11:00 a.m. (click here for more details) on Tuesday, May 13 as we tell the media, many of our stakeholders, elected officials and downtown/government employees just what tourism means to Ohio. Please feel free to extend the invitation to any of your stakeholders to join us as this is truly a celebration of all the work that you do!
The May 13 event will kick off with a press conference highlighting the economic impact of tourism in Ohio as well the rollout of our new marketing campaign for 2008. Again, I look forward to seeing many of you there. Our goal is to fill the plaza with hundreds of members of our industry ready to tell the world about Ohio! Please read below and visit Ohio’s tourism Web site for ideas on how to get involved in the Ohio Tourism Celebration (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) or how to celebrate Ohio Tourism Month in your backyard.
On a related note, I am frequently asked about the economy’s impact on travel for Ohio in 2008. While I do not have a magic crystal ball, initial indicators, national data and anecdotal information are pointing to the following facts:
• Business travel is slowing down compared to last year. This is really being felt in our lodging sector right now.
• Consumer confidence has declined to the point where people are indicating second thoughts about vacation plans. Could this mean an increased focus on short (2- to 3-day) regional getaways?
• Rising gas and other consumer prices are beginning to cause consumers to re-allocate their travel expenditures. Initial indicators by national experts point to folks “downsizing” their experiences in order to still complete their travel needs. (Example: A family who may have stayed at a Hilton in the past may now seek out a Hampton Inn at a lower price point with breakfast included).
Yes, these are all challenges facing our Industry and the recent news about airline bankruptcies and the hassles of flying in the airline industry’s current predicament certainly do not help create a mood of optimism when it comes to travel; however, these challenges may very well be our opportunity to shine in terms of leisure travel!
We have always been a regional drive destination. Most of our visitors expend less than one tank of gas to visit. Our destinations are seen as affordable when compared to the East or West Coasts. Plus, we are surrounded by many large metropolitan markets full of folks who need to get away. Many of these folks already come to Ohio for day trips, so they have some awareness of our product. That being said, I encourage all industry partners to look carefully at their marketing strategies for the leisure segment. Not only does Ohio offer terrific experiences, but we are close and affordable enough that one can easily get away for a few days!
This will be a challenging year for Ohio’s Travel Industry, but it will be one where we can grow our market share of the leisure segment as long as we focus on the right motivators for travel from our primary target markets. Our Industry has survived past challenges and has always rebounded stronger than ever, and I am confident that these challenges will only continue to bring new opportunities for success!
Have a terrific month everyone and see you on the 13th!
Warmest Regards,
Amir
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