The local tourism industry contributed $18 million to Huntington County in 2013, according to a report from Huntington County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Tina Bobilya at the Huntington County Commissioners meeting Monday.
Bobilya said the $18 million was a 1.1 percent increase over 2012 figures. Of that $18 million the food and beverage industry contributed the most, adding $6.6 million in revenue in 2013.
Correcting for leakages, or revenue from tourism that leaves the county, Bobilya said there was $12.5 million left staying in Huntington.
"What we would hope is that as our economy continues to diversify and we have different goods and services provided that number can continue to grow," Bobilya said.
Bobilya explained that a "tourist" as defined in the study is an individual who stays overnight or travels more than 50 miles to his or her destination. She added that due to the criteria people within that 50-mile radius, such as people traveling from southwest Fort Wayne, were not included in the data.
Bobilya said the methodology for the report considered tax data, sales tax reports and inkeeper's tax collections, among other data points.
The report divided the effects of tourism into three categories: direct, or the money spent directly by tourists; indirect, or the industries that support the businesses benefiting directly from tourism; and induced, or the money spent in the county by employees of businesses in the tourism industry.
Of that $12.5 million figure $9.7 million comes from direct impact.
"Of every tourism dollar spent in Huntington County, 69 cents stayed locally," Bobilya said. She added that she learned that the state average is roughly 50 percent, putting the county ahead of many counties in revenue retention.
According to the report tourism is the 14th largest industry in the county. Compared to other counties in Indiana Huntington ranks 52 out of the 92 counties in tourism revenue. The growth rate of the tourist economy was lower, ranked at 67 out of 92.
Bobilya said that without the tourism industry each household in the county would need to pay an additional $162 dollars to maintain current local and state tax levels. Property taxes paid by businesses focused on tourism contributed roughly $800,000 to the tax base in 2013.
The commissioners were generally pleased with the report and expressed interest in seeing Bobilya and her bureau grow the revenues.
"In Huntington County we don't have one destination point or reason to come here, we have many," Huntington County Commissioner President Tom Wall said, listing off the numerous town festivals and recreational places like the Salamonie Reservoir.
"Eighteen million dollar-spending by visitors in Huntington County, that's a big deal," Wall remarked.