Visit Fort Wayne Celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week Fort Wayne earns national travel recognition from Travelocity
FORT WAYNE, Indiana - From May 1-7, Visit Fort Wayne will join convention and visitors bureaus from across the United States in celebrating the 33rd Annual National Travel and Tourism Week.
This annual week celebrates the power of tourism and brings awareness to what travel means to American jobs, economic growth and personal well-being.
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, travel employs a prosperous and diverse workforce, from airline and hotel employees, to restaurant, attraction and retail workers. Some of the numbers:
- 9,134 jobs are supported by travel and tourism in Fort Wayne and Allen County.
- Travel and tourism generates $30 million dollars in local tax revenue for Fort Wayne and Allen County.
- 5.8 million people visit Fort Wayne each year for meetings, sports tournaments and leisure.
- Visitors directly spend an estimated $560 million dollars in food, lodging, and entertainment purchases.
During National Travel and Tourism Week, Visit Fort Wayne will share city tourism information daily on social media. Additionally, the Fort Wayne Visitors Center invites the general public to come down for free DeBrand Chocolate tastings on Friday, May 6 from 11:00 AM-1:30 PM.
One way that Visit Fort Wayne spreads the word about Fort Wayne's strength as a visitor destination is by hosting travel writers in our community.
As a result of this effort, Fort Wayne recently received national recognition from the travel website, Travelocity, as one of the "20 Best U.S. Cities to Visit with Kids."
The list was compiled by international travel writer Erin Bender, who Visit Fort Wayne hosted last summer on a two-day familiarization tour. Bender's blog, Travel with Bender, described Fort Wayne as "....bigger, friendlier and yummier than we could have ever expected."
Visit Fort Wayne places tremendous value on hosting travel writers and bloggers. In recent years, Visit Fort Wayne has worked with journalists from Midwest Living, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star, just to name a few.
"This is tremendous recognition for Fort Wayne," said Visit Fort Wayne President/CEO Dan O'Connell. "We've known for years that Fort Wayne was a incredible destination for kids. Our attractions, museums, and parks are first-rate amenities for families, and we're thrilled they're efforts are being rewarded."
For more information on National Travel and Tourism Week and Fort Wayne's tourism industry, contact Dan O'Connell at 260-424-3700.
Visit Fort Wayne, The Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to expand Fort Wayne's economy by attracting convention and leisure visitors. Each year, millions of dollars from visitor spending generate increased commerce, sustained jobs and enhancement of Fort Wayne's image.