Tuscarawas Countys tourism industry is recipient of the gift of a very good year
by Jennifer Kneuss
December 20, 2010
264
Christmas cheer was in abundance as leaders from the tourism industry, local officials, and other community agency representatives gathered at the downtown New Philadelphia offices of the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureaus to celebrate the season at the bureaus holiday open house.
Bureau director Dee Grossman moved among the crowd as she welcomed the close to 100 guests. She was cheerful as she noted the good year the countys tourism industry had experienced in 2010.
Our lodging taxes were up, which means our year was great. We have the Performing Arts Center open, and that was a highlight. This has probably been one of our best years, and we are going to move into an even better year next year. We have a lot of big points in Tuscarawas County. The Performing Arts Center is huge, and Trumpet in the Land is celebrating over 40 years. Fort Laurens is celebrating doubling their income and their attendance this year. The Depot and the Polar Express have both done well. There is not just one thing. It has all been good, stated the director.
She went on to explain that a series of meetings and input from the community have led to a new phase for the bureau.
We are doing a whole new branding for Tuscarawas Countys tourism products. That will be unveiled January 28 at our tourism summit, which will be at Bistro 131. We have a new marketing campaign, and its is going to be a big year, noted Grossman.
Wendy Zucal, director of The Dennison Depot, was also enthusiastic about both 2010 and 2011.
Our Polar Express numbers are up compared to last year. We were pretty much sold out. We are ending the year very strong. Tourism was also up slightly, stated Zucal. We moved our Soldiers Festival to June, and we are really going to focus on the Civil War. As a kickoff for the Civil War 2011 centennial, it is going to be a lot bigger, and we are excited about that.
Laura Milarcik, site director at Schoenbrunn Village, felt that tourism site had experienced a successful year as well. Said Milarcik, We had a very nice year. We actually added on two events. We brought one back that had been done before. Childrens Day went very well. Then we added on Sleepy Hollow, and our admission numbers were very nice for us over the year. This was our second year for the Colonial Trade Fair and the candlelit dinner in the schoolhouse, which were well attended. We will do that again next year.
Milarcik also does the Clay Museum marketing. The museum is definitely still going strong, even after the theft in early 2010. They have recovered almost everything. They have good community support, and are looking at getting the volunteers in place, and to the future as to where the museum is going to go.
I think outdoor recreation is increasing every year, said Eric Reip of New Phila Canoe Rental. The people really enjoy coming to Tuscarawas County from outside the area, because there are so many things that are offer. They enjoy being on the river, and go from Schoenbrunn to Tusky, or all the way to Gnadenhutten. That is a very beautiful part of the river.
Grossman and her staff were delighted to host the open house, saying, We do this because we want to thank our partners, and give them an opportunity to network without an agenda. We just want to celebrate the holidays and our really good fortune.
