Balancing tourism calendar is tough

That was the consensus Tuesday, when area recreation and entertainment leaders met for the News Journal's monthly Vision Quest project.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course events fill hotels during the summer, bringing visitors throughout the race season -- some from out of state, according to Richland County Visitors and Convention Bureau director Lee Tasseff.

Richland County Fairgrounds spokesman Jack Spangler said he'd like to see more hotels in the Mansfield area, to provide more rooms for the busiest times.

"Last year we lost the Gold Wings (motorcycle club gathering) because there weren't enough motels," Spangler said. "The race tracks tie up the motels."

Comfort Inn/Quality Inn owner Steve Haring wasn't so sure that would be a good move. The hotel industry still hasn't recovered from Sept. 11, 2001, he said.

While it's sometimes difficult to guarantee hotel rooms to a group when big events will be town, "then you have the winter doldrums," he said. "If you have more hotels, that makes it tough to divide the pie up even further."

Balancing the calendar with more events throughout the year might be an answer, those at the meeting said.

Those who attended said tourists now routinely look online for direction on where to spend their leisure time. Positive reviews of attractions by respected outside groups or media can be a huge boon.

Blueberry Patch Fruit Farm co-owner Lisa Beilstein said when the Columbus Dispatch ran an article last year on a Thursday, tourists showed up that afternoon. Many visitors are willing to make the hour's drive from Columbus, and when they do, they are looking for multiple places to go, she said.

"That day drive is what it's all about. Once they find you, they tend to come back," Beilstein said. "It's just getting them here, for that experience."

Tasseff urged some of the smaller area attractions that haven't established their presence on the Convention and Visitors Bureau website to take that step.

Tasseff believes the economic downturn has bottomed out, and that vacationers are ready to travel again . Haring echoed that thought.

"I just went to a national meeting, and they're saying the future looks good for the second half of the year and beyond," Haring said.

Some participants feared traffic disruptions from he downtown streetscape project might affect business in the central city area.

Kingwood Center Director Chuck Gleaves said he's concerned about Mansfield city officials' policy of aggressively pursuing demolition of older homes. That could cause Mansfield to lose old buildings with attractive designs like those that make Medina or Hudson attractive communities, he said.