INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s tourism industry is seeing record-breaking growth for the sixth year in a row. Representative Mike Karickhoff says visitors have spent over $12 billion.
“Tourism is massive. It directly employs close to 150,000 Hoosiers,” Karickhoff said.
Karickhoff wrote a bill that aims to replace the state’s office of tourism development with a joint public-private agency. It would be called the Indiana Destination Development Corporation and would partner with tourism professionals across the state.
“Uniting the public sector with the tourism professionals and business professionals throughout our state will further grow this industry. It’s gonna help insure our resources being invested in all the right places,” Karickhoff said.
Right now, the office of tourism development depends on tax dollars, but under this bill, the new corporation would raise its own money with public investments.
The bill is headed to Governor Eric Holcomb and he is expected to sign it.
(PHOTO: National Park Service/U.S. Department of the Interior)
