Between our state forests, state parks, communities with unique stories, and many more locations and events, Indiana has so much to offer visitors. It is important to showcase all of the conveniences of our state by shedding light on the impact of the hotel and leisure industry. This industry is huge for the state. State tourism saw a record $ 13.7 billion in visitors in 2019. While the industry was hit hard in 2020, much like Hoosiers, this is an industry resilient and ready to make our once again give a destination for visitors.

Over the past year, COVID-19 has rapidly changed the impact across the industry. Nationwide, total travel-assisted jobs accounted for a staggering 65% of all jobs lost in the U.S. from the pandemic. While Indiana wasn’t immune to the pandemic, our tourism agency, Indiana Destination Development Corp., was able to respond quickly. IDDC took a different approach to Visit Indiana Week in 2020 with a series of videos showcasing the love and passion of tourism. Hoosiers shared what tourism means to them and the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on them, reminding them that we are really together.

The IDDC would launch its The 20 IN 20 campaign, featuring articles on outdoor recreation and activities that included social distancing, and would work with the Indiana Restaurant Lodging Association (INRLA) to increase the Hoosier Hospitality Promise and keep a safe encourage reopening of businesses. IDDC has also partnered with the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) to distribute aid to support the industry. The Arts, Culture, and Targeting Marketing Organization grant distributed $ 10 million of the COVID relief funds to 479 fellows.

As we approach another Hoosier summer, we know that more and more people are going outside. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recorded an estimated 21% increase in real estate use in 2020 compared to 2019. To further encourage people to go outside and visit our natural resources, IDDC, in partnership with DNR, created the Indiana State Nature Passport introduced. The free “digital pass” helps us discover new places, some of which are near our own homes that we may not have known were there.

Tourism is also experiencing some other bright spots. Indiana landed the entire NCAA tournament. IDDC’s IN Crowd and Tourney Time campaigns put Indiana in the national spotlight and showcased what makes Indiana a great place to be. A number of Hoosiers, near and far, shared their Hoosier pride, including local stars David Letterman and Sage Steele.

IDDC is committed to conveying Hoosier pride to everyone. Many people have lived outside of Indiana, born and raised elsewhere, but called Indiana their forever home. These are our Hoosiers By Choice, and more and more are sharing their stories publicly every week. Their stories can be found through a visit HoosiersbyChoice.com.

There’s also a new recovery grant to support Indiana’s hospitality industry. The Indiana Hospitality & Entertainment Grant program is available to Hoosier hotels, entertainment venues and event organizers affected by the pandemic. For more information, see backontrack.in.gov.

We are encouraged by these positive steps to safely reopen tourism across Indiana.

The industry continues to strive to see familiar faces and first-time visitors and again hit a prepandemic of 80 million visitors per year. Hoosiers are encouraged to tell their family and friends to consider making Indiana their next vacation or destination. Find out more about our offer at VisitIndiana.com.

Despite the rigors of last year, Indiana is ready and prepared to welcome everyone back safely.

The lieutenant governor serves as constitutional president of the Indiana Senate, legally secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, chairs the Indiana Task Force on Mental and Developmental Disabilities, and oversees four state agencies.

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