OVRDC Conducts Research on Appalachian Ohio's Emerging Tourism Industry
OVRDC is engaged in research in order to identify key strengths and weaknesses in the region’s tourism industry. This activity is important because of how integral tourism is to Appalachian Ohio’s regional economy.
OVRDC has contracted Place Dynamics LLC, a tourism planning firm, to gather data on the region’s visitorship. Areas of focus for this research include the most-visited sites and the most-travelled routes. This data will allow Place Dynamics and OVRDC to more effectively plan for the future through identifying and assisting destinations and the businesses that support them. It will also allow OVRDC to identify potential infrastructure needs which affect the tourist industry.
A key goal of this project is to grow tourism-based entrepreneurship as the region becomes more of a nationally recognized destination. The industry is likely to see growth in the near future as Serpent Mound National Historic Site and Hopewell Culture National Park both seek to receive UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The project will also take a look at how the Covid-19 pandemic affected tourism in the region.
OVRDC is focused on collaborating with other entities in order to foster economic development across Appalachian Ohio as the region positions itself as a cohesive tourist destination.
Click here to view the Regional Tourism Report generated from this research project.