The study found overall tourism sales in Ohio declined 8.8 percent last year and jobs decreased by 3.3 percent. But overnight leisure trips grew 6 percent from 2008 to 2009 despite a sluggish economy.
Or perhaps because of it. Bill Mefford, publicist for Wake Nation in Fairfield and EnterTrainment Junction in West Chester Twp. said economic downtimes can cause people to rethink big-ticket vacations and opt instead for small “staycations.”
“When that happens, actually the local attractions can benefit from that,” he said.
But Butler County does get out-of-state tourists, he said, especially for unique attractions like the wakeboarding park and train museum. On Thursday afternoon, July 8, the EnterTrainment Junction parking lot included cars with plates from Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Butler County Development Director Mike Juengling said Thursday he hadn’t seen the Visitors Bureau report, but that the tourism impact “is a little surprising, but that’s great news.”
Statewide, the study found tourism contributed $36 billion to Ohio’s economy — sustaining more than 437,000 jobs — and $2.5 billion to state and local tax rolls.
“Visitor spending and employment figures are essential factors to consider when evaluating the importance of travel and tourism to Butler County’s economy,” Mark Hecquet, executive director of the Butler County Visitors Bureau said.
“We also must consider the indirect benefits that result from this important industry,” he said. “By shaping the quality of our lives, leisure destinations play an important role in shaping our climate for business.”
The statewide study was conducted by Tourism Economics and Longwoods International on behalf of the Ohio Department of Development’s Tourism Division. It was based on a sample size of 200,000 consumers.
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