Ross County tourism office reports $155 million in visitor spending, flags hotel oversupply risk
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Summary
A county tourism official told commissioners that visitors spent about $155 million in direct sales last year and that new hotel rooms and short-term rental growth could pressure room rates; commissioners approved a local appointment tied to the heritage program.
A county tourism official told Ross County commissioners that visitation and event activity continued to drive local tourism, estimating that visitors spent approximately $155,000,000 in direct sales across lodging, dining, retail and recreation and that tourism supported about 2,072 local jobs.
"Visitors to Ross County spent approximately $155,000,000 in direct sales," the official said, citing the most recent impact report the office presented to the board.
The briefing credited Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworkss UNESCO World Heritage designation with raising interest and said marketing partnerships (including a campaign with National Geographic) increased website engagement. The official said lodging-tax revenue grew year over year (the transcript did not specify a clear percentage) and that short-term rentals showed rapid growth, cited in the presentation at roughly a 25% year-over-year increase.
Speakers discussed near-term changes in hotel supply: a new 96-room TownePlace Suites is due to open in May, and area developers were also working on a similar-size property in a nearby county. The tourism official and private operators warned that added supply without market growth could push rates down and reduce per-room revenue, requiring ‘‘growing the pie" by expanding demand through events, sports tourism and conferences.
Commissioners and presenters also raised a long-standing meeting-space constraint: several commissioners said Chillicothe lacks adequate mid-to-large meeting venues, which can push large group business to other cities even when local room demand exists.
The board approved a motion to appoint Pat Quackenbush to the role discussed in the briefing; commissioners thanked the appointee and presenters. The tourism office said it will continue regional marketing and will return with further program-level requests as needed.
Next steps: the tourism office will continue digital and in-person outreach, monitor lodging supply effects on rates, and report back as new properties open and market data become available.