Tourism Product Development

Goal: Position Fort Wayne / Allen County as a leading destination for travel and tourism by addressing the current hospitality industry labor shortage and establishing a robust, highly skilled workforce that delivers exceptional experiences to visitors and residents.

This recommendation is complete and will be reassessed with a follow-up study in five years (2030). 

Points of Progress

September 2025

Visit Fort Wayne partnered with Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute (CRI) to conduct a voluntary and anonymous online survey of current and former hospitality employees in Allen County across restaurants, hotels, athletic facilities, event centers, and museums or other attractions. 

During the development of the Tourism Master Plan, the hospitality workforce was in flux. Today, the data suggests the industry has stabilized and there’s no sense of crisis, but there is room for growth and improvement. 

Download the one-sheet for key insights and recommended next steps. To request the full survey report, please contact Jessa@visitfortwayne.com.

July 2025

• This summer, Visit Fort Wayne launched a hospitality workforce study with Purdue Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute (CRI).
• CRI is wrapping up final reporting from the survey, following which, Visit Fort Wayne will determine the next steps to supporting the industry. 

Goal: Attract a prominent family resort or attraction product to Allen County, Indiana, to continue to establish Fort Wayne / Allen County as a premier destination for family vacations

Points of Progress

July 2025

• We celebrate the announcement of Back 9 Golf & Entertainment’s plans to open their second location in Indiana at Fort Wayne’s new Villages of Arneo development.
• Visit Fort Wayne and Greater Fort Wayne are working with existing major attractions to assess the family entertainment product market. Current community wins, include: Parkview Field’s Holiday Display (2024), Summit City Climbing Club (2024), Glo Wild at the Fort Wayne Zoo (2025), Magik Sing - a new karaoke bar (2025), Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club (groundbreaking), and Fort Wayne FC’s Stadium (under construction).
• The Fort Wayne Zoo has earned a Certified Autism Center designation by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, the certification is for organizations that have completed an autism-specific training and certification program through IBCCES. The program teaches skills and resources related to autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals.

2025

• We are excited to welcome more family-focused attractions and developments including Ducky’s at The Pearl, Pinhouse Social at The Fairfield, and Parkview Field’s Holiday Lights walk-thru display.

Goal: Create a dynamic and vibrant nightlife destination in Fort Wayne / Allen County that attracts both residents and visitors, offering a diverse and accessible range of entertainment options, fostering a thriving local arts and music scene, and promoting a safe and inclusive environment.

Goal: To transform Fort Wayne / Allen County into a premier accessible winter destination by creating engaging and memorable winter experiences for residents and visitors.

December 2025

• Fort Wayne Parks continues to grow the ice rink with decorations and other features and events, including the purchase of 50 new rental skates, and a 2nd Zamboni for back-up.

Goal: Support and recognize the need for expanding transportation (public and private) opportunities and access across our community for the benefit of residents and service for visitors, including transportation options to Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA), by supporting local, state, and federal legislative enhancements and funding initiatives for transportation.

Points of Progress

December 2025

• Citilink is attempting to meet the need for expanded transportation opportunities and access by developing an on-demand service zone project.
   

July 2025

• Citilink continues efforts to advocate at the local, state, and federal level.
  • Through local surveys they found Greater Fort Wayne values a transit system that connects people to jobs, education, healthcare, and opportunity. With 75% of respondents supporting increased funding for transit and 80% agreeing it benefits the entire community, the call to action is loud and clear. (April 2025)
  • Citilink raised its fare and rolled out fare capping and mobile validators.
  • In May, Citilink launched a strategic network focused on South Fort Wayne and four project areas - work based learning opportunities, solutions focused journalism, benchmarking transit storytelling around the financial cliff, and a marketing campaign with bus line businesses.
  • Citilink has more than 275 people who have joined their coalition.

2024

• Visit Fort Wayne continues to work with Citilink to communicate transportation and accessibility offerings to visitors 
• Citilink continues efforts to add mobile validators to buses and replace bus stop signs with QR codes linking to route updates and digital bus ticket purchases.
• Citilink also received $10,987,062 (via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) to buy approximately 12 “electric-hybrid” buses and replace diesel-fueled buses within its fleet. 
• The Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail also continues efforts to restore passenger rail service from Chicago to Fort Wayne and on to Columbus and Pittsburgh.