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Marietta-Washington County CVB reports tourism boost

Lodging tax revenue increased over 2017

Marietta-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau board president Cheri Seevers and treasurer Mike Iaderosa talk next to a promotional sign for the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival after the CVB annual meeting Tuesday night at the Campus Martius Museum. The agency reported that revenues from the city’s hotel tax were up in 2018. (Photo by Michael Kelly)

Marietta’s well-known charm was, apparently, working well last year.

According to figures presented at the Marietta-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau annual meeting Tuesday night, the agency’s revenue from the city’s lodging tax was $262,154, an increase of $69,381 over 2017, about 36 percent more.

It was something of a milestone, CVB board treasurer Mike Iaderosa said.

“If you go back five years, the bed tax has decreased every year significantly,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ve turned the corner on this.”

About two dozen people attended the meeting, held at Campus Martius Museum, including representatives of the business community, local government, the Wayne National Forest and other groups.

The 2018 results were a substantial turnaround for the bureau. In 2017 it accrued a loss of $40,813. Although it finished 2018 still slightly in the red – $3,023 – Iaderosa was smiling as he delivered the financial statement summary. He noted that part of the expenses included $12,000 to move the bureau’s offices into The Armory, a more high-profile, welcoming location for visitors.

“We did have a good year,” he said. “We’re hoping 2019 will be even better.”

Deana Clark, who took over the executive director position in the fall of 2017, just finished her first full calendar year in charge of the bureau.

“We’ve been strong, stable, and we’re achieving results,” she said. “Many of Marietta’s attractions had gains over 2017. In 2018, we distributed 49,000 visitor guides through direct mailing, travel shows and guests picking them up.”

The bureau’s social media following is now 30,000, she said. Other initiatives included radio shows, an ad campaign in Ohio Magazine, ads in Peoples Bank Theatre production programs, digital media purchases and printed food guides featuring the area’s restaurants.

“We believe these efforts contributed to our growth,” she said. “Last year, we were faced with either making strategic budget cuts or investing a percentage of our reserve funds. We had a cautious debate and decided to invest $25,600 into our marketing efforts. We believe it worked.”

Clark said the bureau has decided for this year to place as many of its new 48-page visitors guides as possible in high traffic areas like Hocking Hills and Amish country, she said.

“Leisure travelers make decisions while on their trips,” she said, adding that the bureau is considering purchasing two billboards on I-77 to direct travelers to the attractions of the city and county.

“We’re proving that travel is an economic driver. More heads in beds, more seats at the table, more sightseers at our attractions means more jobs in our community,” she said.

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