Christine Livingston was named the interim president and CEO of Indiana Dunes Tourism after longtime executive director Lorelei Weimer left the organization.
Livingston has worked for the organization for 15 years.
“I’m honored to serve as the interim president (and) CEO, and we are fortunate to have an engaged and talented board of directors, an exceptional team, and many amazing community partners,” Livingston said in a press release.
She also said that when the Dunes became a national park, demand for services at the visitors center increased. Jenny Matthys, senior operations director, reported that 226,792 visitors stopped at the visitors center in 2023, up 22,500 people from 2022.
Visitors to the park also changed from beachgoers and day trips to national park enthusiasts who wanted to stay longer.
Livingston said this change in interest has led to reimagining what the nonprofit does and how they accomplish their goals.
“Currently, we are re-envisioning our organization and how we can work to improve not only visitor experiences but also the quality of life for residents through our partnerships,” she said.
The Indiana Destination Development Corp. said that tourism in Porter County resulted in $227 million in visitor spending and supported 2,622 jobs.
Matthys said one of those improvements will be a new gift shop this year. Revenues from retail and bike rentals topped $69,000 in 2023 without dedicated space for either option.
Indiana Dunes Tourism has been promoting the Indiana Dunes area since 1986. It runs the visitors center, which opened in 2006, at 1215 N. State Road 49 in Porter in partnership with the Indiana Dunes National Park.
