Local Tourism helps economy bounce back

May 26, 2023

The Cambridge Guernsey County Visitors and Convention Bureau believes tourism is an integral and driving component of the local and state economy.

Debbie Robinson, executive director of the bureau, said the tourism industry is one of the largest employers in the county and is experiencing a high turnover rate.

Tourism plays an important role in the shaping of the county's climate for business involving recreation, transportation, food and beverage, lodging and retail.

Tourism provided for 1,606 jobs, $46.2 million in wages, and accounted for 9.3% of salaried employment in Guernsey County in 2019, the latest year numbers were released by the state. It also generated $22.3 million in taxes, per the state's website, Ohio.org.

Robinson said she would be surprised to not see an increase in tourism this year as people are more eager to travel.

Guernsey County faired better than some larger cities during shutdown and travel restrictions brought on by COVID-19, she said, as many metro areas live and die by their sports and concert venues.

"We were very fortunate because we have a plethora of outdoor recreational opportunities and during the pandemic that's what everybody was looking for, that family unit that could stay in the cabin or the campground to themselves and hike or bike," Robinson said.

Robinson cited information from the Tourism Ohio 2021Tourism Economic Impacts reports that stated statewide average spending per person was $115, and that amount nearly triples to an average of $343 per person when an overnight stay is included.

It's estimated the Deerassic Classic outdoor expo will attract 10,000 visitors this year, and moto coaches which carry 50 plus tourists are returning to the area.

One of the more popular local attractions, Dickens Victorian Village, brought in 45 buses last year with six arriving on one day.

Robinson view Dickens Village as a hook for tourists, because the visitors who come to Dickens over the holidays often come back for events during the summer.

Other top tourists attractions in the county, according to Robinson, are Salt Fork State Park, The Living Word, (the only outdoor passion play Ohio), Mosser Glass (the only pressed glass factory in the country), The National Museum of Cambridge Glass, and The Guernsey County History Museum.

She also said villages like Byesville, which has recently exploded with little shops, are ideal destinations for tourist who like to shop and the June Cambridge Glass Show at Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center will bring people in from all over the country.

"With the mask mandate being lifted, people are out there traveling," Robinson said. "In 2020 we mailed out or gave away more travel guides then we have ever had because people were dreaming of when they could travel again.."

Promoting tourism

To aide in promoting the attractions in Guernsey County, The Cambridge/Guernsey County Grant Assistance Program (GAP) sponsored by tourism dollars through the VCB, will award $48,000 in grant funding to non-profit organizations in the county this year.

Recipients include: