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Visit Greater Lima reports tourism wins, $2.9M impact from Hearst Mania
Summary
Visit Greater Lima reported 2025 highlights including a rebrand, a 30,000‑copy 2026 visitors guide, 50,800 estimated rooms booked and an estimated $2.9 million economic impact from a three‑day Hearst Mania event.
Bessie Billingser, speaking for Visit Greater Lima, told council the organization completed a rebrand, distributed a 30,000‑copy visitors guide for 2026, and expanded digital and billboard advertising into neighboring states as part of broader tourism outreach.
"We were very excited to bring in Hearst mania this year in June... We had visitors from 31 states and Canada... that was a $2,900,000 economic impact for just a 3 day event," Billingser said, summarizing one of the group's headline successes. She also reported an estimated 50,800 room nights and roughly 392,000 visitors in 2025 for the county's tourism footprint (figures as presented by Visit Greater Lima).
Billingser described new grant programs (destination development grants and small retention grants), a hospitality worker recognition program, and partnerships with JobsOhio and other regional organizations to market Lima. Councilors thanked Visit Greater Lima for its work and noted the organization’s role in attracting visitors and events.
