Visit Madison During The 35th Annual Celebration of National Tourism Week

Now through Saturday

May 6th-12th is the 35th Annual Celebration of National Tourism Week. National Tourism Week was designated by the U.S. Congress in 1983 to draw public attention to the importance and benefits of the U.S.
Travel and Tourism industry. Travel and tourism is the sixth largest industry, excluding government. Here are some facts relating to tourism and its economic benefits:

•  Only 380 visitors are needed to support one new job in Indiana
•  Every 488 visitors to Indiana generate enough state and local taxes to provide for one Indiana public school student
• The tourism industry was the fastest growing job segment in 2015 & 2016
•  On average visitors to Indiana spent $147 each on hotels, transportation, lodging, meals and entertainment
•  Visitors generated $32 each in tax receipts, with $18 going to state and local entities
•  Without visitors coming to Indiana, each of its 2.5 million households would have to pay an additional $550 in state & local taxes in order to maintain current levels of tax receipts.
•  Indiana retains about 76¢ of every $1 spent by visitors.
•  As you can see, Tourism has an impact on our economic well-being.

To commemorate the beginning of Madison’s busiest tourism season, each year the Visitors Center provides our tourism partners with a magnetic calendar of events and tear- off calendar sheets to share with their customers.

To kick-off tourism week the Visit Madison team along with several Visit Madison and Jefferson County Board of Tourism members stopped by City Hall today (Monday May 7th) to get their proclamation signed by Mayor Damon Welch declaring National Travel & Tourism Week here in Madison, Indiana! The travel industry fuels Madison, Indiana’s economy and has a profound effect on supporting jobs in the area.

Visit Madison will present the 2018 HOSTS (Honoring our Super Tourism Stars) to a deserving business some time during the week. Please read on to learn about how 2017 tourism went for Visit Madison.

Visit Madison’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the economy of Jefferson County by increasing visitation and providing an outstanding visitor experience. The staff of Madison’s tourism agency has had a successful year spreading the word about Madison, and it shows in the numbers.

One of our goals at the Visitors Center is to increase traffic, encourage folks to stop in learn something about Madison, take a tour of one of our historic sites, visit the gift shop, or just relax, recharge and use our free Wi- Fi. In 2017, we welcomed over 55,500 people in the Visitors Center. We take great pride in sharing all the wonderful things about Madison, Indiana with every visitor that walks through our doors. We can only hope we made an impression on the thousands that came through last year. Another way we reach visitors is through our yearly visitor guide, in 2017, we mailed out over 57,000 visitor guides to people all over the United States, Canada, and beyond. Visitor guides seem like a thing of the past, however having that booklet of information is not only key to grabbing their attention to come, but to help navigate once they arrive. Sure, technology is taking the tourism industry to a new level and we are up to the challenge. Through our online version of the visitor guide and our user-friendly website, integrated with user-generated content, we highlight visitors experiences by sharing their photos. Check it out! www.visitmadison.org . We even received the 2017 ‘Best Website’ at the Indiana Tourism Conference in March.

To say that social media has taken the world by storm is an understatement, come on it’s 2018 – right?! Visit Madison’s social presence increased dramatically in 2017 over all prior years in its existence. With acquisition of a new Marketing Director, social media was at the fore-front and top goal to increase the amount of people reached. From creating Facebook events and co-hosting with local organizers, to jumping right in with producing videos of historic sites, attractions, events, artists and more, have captured the many. On Facebook alone, we reached over 2.15 million people, and 1.78 million of that was over the prior year. Through the ever- changing policies and algorithms of social media, we can only hope to adjust our strategies and reach more people as time goes on. To commemorate National Tourism Associations “Then & Now” theme, check out our Facebook and YouTube for a Madison, Indiana Tourism Week “Then & Now” video.

The visitor services at Visit Madison are more than anyone ever expects, at least that’s what they tell us. Although our office staff is lean, it is the very passionate people behind these services that ensure our visitors are catered to. We have an amazing, hard-working group tour coordinator who provides the up-most hospitality to those wishing to schedule a group visit to Madison. Yup, you heard right, we will help you personalize your visit or tour. Whether you’re a group of 10 or 55 persons, our coordinator will customize a tour that’s right for you. From dining needs, hotel recommendations, step-on guides, trolley tours, carriage and wagon rides, to our video presentation, our goal is to ensure you have a great experience. Our local businesses and attractions in Madison contribute to our success by partnering with us offering group rates and
supporting special causes, accommodating travel writers and more; we at Visit Madison are eternally grateful. In 2017, our group tour coordinator serviced over 40 groups! Wow – just wow!

Madison is often referred to as “The Event Capital” of Indiana. Our yearly festivals and events have drawn young and old alike. This town is busy, all-year-long. Last year we welcomed over 400,000 visitors and our many events play a major role! From shopping the vendors around Old Court Days twice a year, 2 major car shows, numerous 5K runs, steamboat visits and fall sunset cruises, there is something for everyone. The Indiana Wine Trail hosts 4 events throughout the year. Events such as Music in the Park, Music at the Mansion, and 4th Friday Downtown occur monthly during our tourist season. RiverRoots Music & Art Festival, the new Roostertail Regatta Music Festival, Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues, Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art, Soup Stew Chili & Brew are crowd favorites. We also offer special holiday events and activities starting with Light Up Madison, Festival of Trees and Host of Angels at Lanthier Winery. Two of our favorite holiday traditions are the Nights before Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes and the Very Merry Madison Christmas
Parade. There are just too many to list that contribute to the number of growing visitors each year. We are proud to say that our marketing efforts have also impacted event ticket sales.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the vital dollars generated from our innkeepers tax of Jefferson County. These dollars are a crucial component to our day to day operations and allow us to welcome visitors at the center seven days a week. Lodging facilities are important to the economy anywhere you go. They make our visitors feel welcome with their direct hospitality and comfortable accommodations. This modest tax allows communities to market their area and increase economic development, tourism and quality of life. In 2017, our Innkeeper’s tax was up 11% over the prior year. We feel all of the above stats reflect our marketing strategies and are paying off.

Join us for National Tourism Week as we celebrate tourism and the people who are integral in making Madison one of Indiana’s most popular destinations. Visit Indiana has put together different deals every day of this week. Today, Monday May 7th is Museum Monday, receive a $2 admission discount to our “Crown Jewel”, Lanier Mansion. Tuesday, May 8th is “Tastings Tuesday”, visit our very own Thomas Family Winery for free wine tastings, as well as The Ridge Winery, who is on the Indian Wine Trail, they will offer a 10% discount on all wine purchases, 20% discount on all case purchases and free limited tastings! Wednesday, May 9th is “Wild Wednesday”, zoos, sanctuaries, and farms around Indiana will have special deals. On Thursday May 10th “Throwback Thursday”, save $2 at all Indiana State Historic sites. Friday May 11th is “Foodie Friday”, our very own Thomas Family Winery will be doing a “Double Down” cheese & charcuterie! Adding to the all the
celebration, Visit Madison is offering two FREE Trolley tours of Madison, Indiana. Thursday May 10th is an evening tour beginning at 6:00 p.m. and Friday is a morning tour, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Trolley goers must meet and park at the Visitors Center 601 W. First Street and arrive 15 minutes prior to the tour. There is a limit of 25 guests on each tour, check out our Facebook events for the tours. To get a complete list of the Visit Indiana Week daily deal participants go to www.visitindiana.com.

For additional information on Madison, Indiana or any tourism questions please contact Visit Madison, Inc. at 812-265-2956.

“There's no denying that tourism matters in Indiana! In fact, travel, tourism and hospitality is Indiana's sixth-largest industry, excluding government. Visitor spending brings cash to our communities, creating jobs, enhancing the local economy and improving the quality of life for residents. At the same time, travel and tourism heighten cultural awareness, help create a sense of place for a community and can provide shared experiences to connect friends and families across generations. After all, a community cannot be a great place to visit if it's not first a great place to live.”