Published on : Tuesday, September 3, 2019
The city six years ago had just one antiquated convention building with couple of prospects for important events and very less hotels, has realized a 29% rise in tourism since 2011, as per a recent report from Destination Cleveland, the organization charged with bringing conventions and visitors to the region.
“We saw significant growth at the same time as winning an NBA championship and hosting a very successful Republican National Convention. A lot of things played into a dramatically changed perception of Cleveland to the outside,” said David Gilbert, president and CEO of Destination Cleveland.
Leisure travel, as it is called in the industry, is increasing countrywide. Affordable airfares, in large part due to lower fuel costs, and rising investment in expanding tourist attractions translate into higher numbers for travel and tourism.
However, those rates for the eighth straight year got faster in Cuyahoga County than it happened nationally, according to a report by Tourism Economics. The growth is seen by increases at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which hit a record number of travelers, and the Port of Cleveland, with expanded cruise travel bringing in Great Lakes and Canadian tourists.
“We saw tremendous growth, but a lot of it was based on starting at a very low bar,” Gilbert admitted.
Tags: Cleveland tourism