Chances are, heritage tourism is again bringing travel dollars to your part of Ohio. The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines cultural heritage tourism as “traveling to experience the places, artifacts, and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.”
Places like these abound in the Buckeye State, with more than 58 historic sites and museums supported by the Columbus-based Ohio History Connection. There’s more than just preserving the past at stake: a past study by the Travel Industry Association shows that heritage travelers stay longer at their destinations and spend more money there than other types of travelers.
In this forum, the Columbus Metropolitan Club unpacks the impact of heritage tourism with the help of the new CEO of the Ohio History Connection, Megan Wood, and the Co-Founder of The Heritage Tours and its annual Civil Rights Heritage Tour, Napoleon Bell, with host Tracy Townsend, News Anchor, “Wake Up CBUS” and “10TV News at Noon,” WBNS-TV.
