PORTER — Indiana Dunes Tourism held its annual State of Tourism event on Thursday, March 15, at Riley’s Railhouse in Chesterton. Lorelei Weimer, the Executive Director of Indiana Dunes Tourism, gave a state of industry presentation, featuring key facts about Indiana Dunes Country’s/Porter County’s tourism market.
Ms. Weimer said that the tourism industry is growing exponentially, producing $413.4 million in economic impact for Porter County in 2015 alone, which was an 80% increase from 2000 and generated 5,075 jobs.
According to Ms. Weimer, nearly six million people visit Porter County every year, and of that, 3.5 million people visit the Indiana Dunes, making it the single most popular attraction in the state. When combining both the State Park and National Lakeshore visitation numbers, the Indiana Dunes ranks as high as the top ten most visited national parks in the country.
“Our goal at Indiana Dunes Tourism,” Ms. Weimer said, “is about branding our destination. It’s not just about getting people to the beach; it’s about getting them to stay in our hotels, visit our attractions, buy from our businesses and embrace the stories and experiences our destination has to offer.”
Ms. Weimer was particularly vocal about Pure Michigan’s marketing campaign and the Halo Effect, a cognitive bias that allows specific positive traits to influence a person’s overall evaluation of people, places and things. “There’s a reason Pure Michigan’s tourism industry is so successful,” Ms. Weimer said. “The entire state has bought into an idea. They're telling a single story, and that makes a difference to both residents and visitors alike.”
Ms. Weimer explained that when a person has a pre-conceived notion that an experience will be positive, they are more likely to have a positive experience. The more companies and industries that buy into this story (or brand), the more likely visitors are to associate their businesses with the same positive perception.
“This is what we’re trying to do at Indiana Dunes Tourism,” Ms. Weimer said. “We need to get rid of the imaginary barrier running along highway 12 and get our communities using the amazing resource that is the Indiana Dunes. We want to help our partners and our stakeholders use the Indiana Dunes Tourism brand to build an experience for visitors. We are in the business of telling stories, and our marketing builds on one proven fact: people visit Porter County when they understand what we have to offer.”
Of the 3.5 million visitors to the Indiana Dunes, 108,767 visitors from all 50 states and 52 international countries came to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center in 2017, where they received information and were directed to Indiana Dunes Country’s businesses and attractions.
In addition to Indiana Dunes Tourism’s call to action for the community, Ms. Weimer explained the organization’s involvement with several initiatives to improve Indiana Dunes Country from a destination perspective. Ms. Weimer revealed that Indiana Dunes Tourism, in collaboration with the National Park Service and local Native American tribes, is working on the creation of a new Ethnobotany Native America Trail.
Other initiatives include a partnership with the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commissions on the South Shore Line’s new Bikes on Trains program, as well as a continued effort to improve the Dunes-Kankakee Trail—a network of trails that hikers, runners and bikers will be able to use to reach every section of the county.
Among Indiana Dunes Tourism marketing initiatives, Ms. Weimer revealed a new inspiration destination video and a preview of the new Indiana Dunes 101 series—a video series that explains what the dunes are.
“Much like the 3 Dune Challenge, we’re always looking for new ways to market our destination,” Ms. Weimer said. “Through printed and digital resources, Indiana Dunes Tourism continues to be a substantial marketing vehicle for the county.” In 2017, Indiana Dunes Tourism had 332,872 users visit their website, which they are looking to redesign in 2018, and most of their listings are available to local businesses, free of charge.
Towards Indiana Dunes Tourism’s goal to tell Indiana Dunes Country’s story, Ms. Weimer announced that the 2018 Activities Guides, Calendar of Events Guides, Event Planner Guides and Annual Reports are available, as well as a condensed planner that has been made available in 12 foreign languages. These comprehensive guides give visitors a detailed overview of Indiana Dunes Country’s attractions, restaurants, hotels and more.
“What we’re doing is working,” said Ms. Weimer. “Indiana Dunes Tourism is contributing to the economic success of Indiana Dunes Country’s tourism industry, and Porter County is receiving a $1 to $35 return on investment with us. We account for $44 million in direct stimulated spending or 10.6% of the total economic impact of tourism. The best part of this story, however, is yet to come. We will continue to work with industry partners to find new, better ways to promote Porter County and improve this place we call home.”
Indiana Dunes Tourism is the official destination marketing, planning and development organization for Dunes Country/Porter County, Ind. For more information about Indiana Dunes Tourism, call (219) 926-2255, email info@indianadunes.com or visit indianadunes.com.
