indiana tourism conference

Indiana Tourism Association hosting annual conference in Evansville

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - The Indiana Tourism Association will bring together over 250 Indiana tourism professionals as they host their annual conference.

According to a release, that’s set to run for three days from March 11 to March 13.

That event is being held at the Bally’s Casino and Hotel. 2024 marks the first time this event has ever been hosted in Evansville.

During the conference professionals will have the chance to network and learn.

Presenters will cover a variety of tourism and hospitality topics with the opening keynote session happening on Tuesday, March 12. It will feature award-winning author and storyteller Philip Gulley, who will share stories of finding beauty in the ordinary throughout Indiana.

Other highlights include Elaine Bedel, President & CEO of the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC), who will update attendees on the latest statewide marketing efforts. Networking and breakout sessions will cover a large range of topics, from the history of Indiana tourism to event marketing and sales strategies.

The Indiana Tourism Association Awards Ceremony will be held Tuesday night at Bally’s Riverfront Event Center, where leaders will be recognized for their contributions to the tourism industry in Indiana.

For those who are interested, you can find more information by visiting indianatourismconference.com .

Copyright 2024 WFIE. All rights reserved.

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Elkhart County CVB Wins Two 2024 Indiana Tourism Conference Awards

ELKHART COUNTY CVB WINS TWO AWARDS AT 2024 INDIANA TOURISM CONFERENCE

EVANSVILLE - The Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau were two-time winners on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at the annual Indiana Tourism Awards, which were presented during the Indiana Tourism Conference in Evansville.

The awards are the sixth and seventh that the Elkhart County CVB has won in the last eight years.

The Elkhart County CVB’s Downtown Elkhart campaign received the Best Cooperative Partnership award. In 2023, the Elkhart County CVB, along with the Elkhart Redevelopment Commission, refreshed the downtown Elkhart brand that is used in social media promotion, an updated website and printed materials. The campaign is intended to highlight small businesses in downtown Elkhart, attracting residents and visitors to enjoy the restaurants, shops, events, arts and culture, and services in the city center. It is funded by a partnership between the Elkhart County CVB and the Elkhart Redevelopment Commission.

The judges commented, “Really well-done campaign to incorporate partnerships with downtown partners. Everyone is looking to find a way to work more closely with other organizations, and you've done it.”

Amanda Eckelbarger, the Elkhart County CVB’s director of destination branding and data intelligence, received the Member of the Year Award from the Indiana Tourism Association. She was recognized for exemplary service and leadership within the tourism industry and the association.

“These two awards represent the innovation and leadership that the Elkhart County CVB stands for in spotlighting the entrepreneurs and small business owners that make up our tourism and hospitality industry,” said Jon Hunsberger, executive director of the Elkhart County CVB. “Elkhart County is growing as a destination for people to visit, live and invest. We’re excited to share Elkhart County’s story and continue raising our profile throughout the region and nation.”

Two other Elkhart County CVB initiatives were finalists for awards:

• Events calendar campaign for Best Overall Marketing Campaign
• VisitElkhartCounty.com for Best Website

About the Elkhart County CVB

The Elkhart County CVB is the official tourism advertising/marketing and public/community relations organization for the Elkhart County hospitality industry. The ECCVB advances quality-of-place initiatives in our downtowns and rural spaces, parks and natural environment, arts and culture, and events, festivals, groups and activities that help forge social connections.

Director of Communications & Public Relations

VMI Team Members Honored at Indiana Tourism Association Conference

5 Things to Do in Madison this Spring

Nominated for USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice: Best Small Town in the Midwest

Left: VMI Marketing Associate Julia Gregory; Right: Sarah Prasil VMI Executive Marketing Director

Madison, Indiana {March 21, 2024} – Indiana’s premier tourism industry event, the annual Indiana Tourism Association (ITA) conference, unfolded from March 11-13 in Evansville, Indiana. Among the distinguished honorees were the members of the Madison/Jefferson County Tourism organization, Visit Madison, Inc. (VMI), who received accolades from both regional industry leaders and the ITA in the highly anticipated awards ceremony, as well as a graduate of the Indiana Tourism Academy.

The ITA conference awards spotlight outstanding achievements within the tourism sector, celebrating organizations that demonstrate creativity, innovation, and excellence in leveraging their investments.

The VMI Marketing team, comprising Sarah Prasil and Julia Gregory, garnered attention by submitting a series of projects across four categories: Best Visitors Guide, Best New Merchandise, Best Website, and Best IN Indiana Activation (state branding immersion). Their exceptional efforts were rewarded with victory in the Best New Merchandise category for marketing budgets under $300K. The newly launched VMI Gift Shop Collection & Souvenirs received acclaim for its comprehensive product refresh, success and resonating strongly with visitors.

Reflecting on the achievement, Sarah Prasil, Executive Marketing Director, remarked, “Redesigning the gift shop and souvenir items for VMI has been a significant endeavor. The revamped collection not only serves as a cherished memento of our visitors’ experiences but also enhances the vibrancy of our offerings, both onsite and the new online shop. Winning this award amidst tough competition is a testament to our commitment to excellence in tourism.” Julia Gregory added, “It is an honor to have been part of crafting merchandise that allows our visitors to commemorate the magic of Madison and residents a way to proudly display their hometown. This award is not only recognition of our team’s hard work but a testament to our dedication to the exceptional visitor experience.”

The winners were:

• Best Advocacy Initiative (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – Huber’s Orchard & Winery
• Best Advocacy Initiative (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Hamilton County Tourism, Inc.
• Best Cooperative Partnership – Elkhart County, IN CVB
• Best Digital Marketing Campaign (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – LaGrange County Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Best Digital Marketing Campaign (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
• Best Event/Festival – Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau
• Best IN Indiana Activation – Visit Dubois County
• Best New Experience (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – Huber’s Orchard & Winery
• Best New Experience (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Visit Hendricks County
• Best New Merchandise (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – Visit Madison, Inc.
• Best New Merchandise (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
• Best Specialty Item – Visit Hendricks County
• Best Visitors Guide – Visit Fort Wayne
• Best Overall Marketing Campaign – Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
• Best Website (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – Huber’s Orchard & Winery
• Best Website (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Visit Fort Wayne

Left: Andrew Forrester VMI Executive Marketing Director; Right: Jaime Bohler Smith ITA Academy Instructor & Hendricks County Executive Director

In 2022, the ITA introduced the Indiana Tourism Academy, aimed at nurturing and empowering tourism professionals across the state. As part of the Academy’s second-year cohort, ten graduates, including Andrew Forrester, Executive Tourism Director for VMI, were honored as Certified Indiana Tourism Professionals , underscoring their commitment to advancing the tourism landscape.

Expressing his appreciation, Andrew stated, “Participating in the Indiana Tourism Academy has been an enriching journey, deepening my understanding of tourism dynamics, particularly within Indiana. The insights gained have proved invaluable in enhancing our strategies at VMI, and I am honored to contribute to the advancement of our tourism product.”

Jeff Frazier, VMI Board President added, “as a member of the VMI BOD the last few years I’ve seen this team grow and persevere in ways that I could only admire. I can speak for the entire board when I say we are proud of these individuals for their contributions and successes in Madison and the Indiana tourism industry.”

Two hundred tourism leaders from around the state came to the Indiana Tourism Conference for networking and educational sessions over the three-days.

The Indiana Tourism Association’s mission is advocating the value of tourism in Indiana and supporting the best practices of its members. Established in 1980, the association partners with the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, Association of Indiana Restaurant and Lodging and other statewide associations to support tourism investment and promotion as an economic contributor to the state. For more information, visit www.IndianaTourismAssociation.com .

ITA Media Contact: Carrie Lambert, carrie@indianatourismassociation. com

Visit Madison’s mission is to develop and promote authentic visitor experiences that enhance sustainable economic growth and quality of place for the City of Madison and Jefferson County. For more information, visit www.VisitMadison.org

VISIT MADISON, INC. MEDIA CONTACT: Andrew Forrester or Sarah Prasil 812-265-2956 | [email protected]   | [email protected]

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Bureau Basics

Uniform innkeepers tax.

The majority of Indiana's convention and visitor's bureaus are organized under what is known as the Indiana Uniform Innkeepers Tax, or Indiana Code 6-9-18 . The innkeepers tax language also discussed details on the application of a chapter Indiana Code 6-9-29 . Initial legislation was introduced in 1982, with subsequent revisions. The code allows any local entity to adopt IC 6-9-18 and a lodging tax of up to 5 percent, with the tax being used for local tourism development and promotions. Some counties have a higher percent and they are either under their own legislation or have sought special dispensation from the Indiana General Assembly.

Authorized by a County Council, the Uniform Innkeepers Tax code establishes a local tourism authority appointed by various entities within the county to oversee its usage. These tourism commissions are sworn representatives of the community and must act in good faith to use these appropriations as stipulated in the tax code.

To see a complete list of counties that have adopted the tax and the rate each charges, view this list .

Getting Started

To establish a tourism commission (and potentially) a visitor's bureau there are several steps to take:

• Local support from the lodging community that will collect and remit the tax. Hotel and lodging owners in Indiana are very supportive of the innkeepers tax as long as that tax is used appropriately. Studies show a misdirected tax can actually be financially detrimental to the hotels that collect it, which is why local support and understanding about how tourism works is imperative.
• The county must first pass an ordinance that adopts the Indiana Uniform Innkeepers Tax in order to begin collecting.
• The local structure of the tourism commission (this varies depending on the community). Sample structures are available from the ITA. The tourism commission must be formed by a county ordinance from county commission.
• Determine if the commission will handle all services in which case the employees would be considered county employees and would go through the county for all paperwork, but the cost of these services would be paid by the innkeepers tax.
• Articles of incorporation for the local entity that will serve as the "bureau", as well as related documents such as by-laws.
• An application for non-profit status (most bureaus are what is known as 501-c-6 organizations, or trade associations).
• A leadership structure for the organization. Most bureaus have an executive director who runs the bureau and who has expertise in marketing and promotions, and preferably non-profit management.
• Suggested policies and procedures ranging from transparency to audit requirements. 
• The tax collection methodology to be used if not determined by the ordinance. The funds can be collected via the state or the local treasurer's office. Most bureaus collect through the local treasurer's office.
• A timeline for the tourism commission and services to begin. Most counties take about a year to plan, which allows for tax collection over the year and seed money for the start-up of the services and/or separate non profit organization.

The ITA can assist with questions, support or documents for any of the above. Contact us here .

Click here to see a sample ordinance.

Registration

• Indiana State Festivals Association
• Simpleview Inc.
• Oswald Marketing
• Indiana Arts Commission
• Indiana Destination Development Corporation
• Travel Indiana Magazine
• Ohio Magazine/Long Weekends
• TwoSix Digital
• Advance Travel & Tourism
• Tucker Publishing Group
• Pulse Marketing
• Indiana University Indianapolis
• Market Street Group
• Bookkeeping Plus, Inc.
• Taylor Trusty

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First Value of Play Conference at IU Bloomington Successful

• April 23, 2024 April 23, 2024
• Research , Training

The Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands held its first Value of Play Conference at IU Bloomington April 16 to 18, 2024. Over 225 people attended the 3-day learning event as part of a community of play professionals. Over 50 sessions were scheduled with 100 plus learning presentations from experts around the world including Canada, England, and Finland. The Value of Play Conference was moved from Clemson University to Indiana University this past year after 14 years of success with the Clemson Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management. The Eppley Center was awarded the US Play Coalition and Conference last Spring holding Play Date workshops in July, August, October, and November 2023 around the nation, and this, the 15th conference at IU Bloomington.

The 2024 Value of Play Conference Team: L to R, Eppley Center Director Steve Wolter, IU Senior Conference Manager Riley Reese, Conference Co-Manager Dr. Kristy Anderson (Eppley Center), Conference Co-Manager and Clemson University US Play Coalition Executive Director Stephanie Garst, US Play Coalition Steering Committe Co-Chair Meghan Talarowski , Conference Logisitics Manager Layne Elliott (Eppley Center).

During this annual conference, park, recreation, library, childcare, and play professionals gather to learn practical, leading edge, research, and advocacy information from world leaders in the value of play. Awards are part of the conference and this year, a new award for distinguished service was created. Given to Stephanie P. Garst, the Executive Director of the US Play Coalition for the past ten years, the award was named after her in this inaugural year. Without her guidance, work, and expertise this year, and over the past 10 years, the US Play Coalition and Conference would not be a successful and highly regarded contributor to play and its value to society. Hats off to Stephanie!

More information, including conference presentations, can be found at usplaycoalition.org and by contacting Eppley play coalition management staff at [email protected] or calling 812.855.3095.

Conference attendees participate in the Libraries, Learning, and Play Forum at the 15 th Annual Value of Play Conference at Indiana University Bloomington

Thanks to all the sponsors and collaborators who made the 2024 Value of Play Conference successful including Clemson University’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management who lent Stephanie Garst to IUB (Indiana University Bloomington) for the past year. Additional sponsors included Landscape Structures, Burke, Musco Lighting, First Book, PlayCore, Goosechase, Playground Grass, Vortex, Berliner, Spec, Laundry Cares Foundation, and the Clemson Youth Development Program.

IU contributors and collaborators included an IU Research and Creative Activity Conference Grant from the IU Vice President for Research, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, and IU School of Education.