ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT 2024
Destinationmarketing, brandstrategyand communitydevelopmenthasthepotentialto makeaprofound,long-lastingimpact.Knox CountyConvention&VisitorBureau’s(KCCVB) missionistoenhancethelocalcommunity throughthepoweroftourism,andourefforts strivetobenefitallKnoxCountyvisitors, businessesandresidents.
Tomakeapositiveimpactonourcommunity, KCCVBstroveforexcellenceduringthe2024 fiscalyear,culminatingwithOhioTravel AssociationawardingKCCVBwithtwoRUBY Awards,withdistinctioninPrintAdvertisingand Website.WealsolearnedfromPlacer.AI,aleader indatatechnology,thatourvisitorscamefromall fiftystatesoverthelast12months.
Ourredesignedplatformwwwvisitknoxohioorg launchedinJanuary2024andkeptKnoxCounty topofmindbeforeandaftervisitorsmadeatrip. Asweleveragedourdigitaladvertisementsto growwebsitetraffic,oursitehada300%increase intrafficYoYwithover150,000pageviewswithin thefirsteightmonthsofitslaunch.Theredesignis afullshowcaseofallthecommunitiesandassets thatmakeKnoxCountysospecialandunique
Throughourpartneragency,FahlgrenMortine, ourwebsitewasalsorecognizedinCentralOhio atthePRSAPRismAwardsandonaninternational level,attheAVADigitalAwards,takinghomean awardforWebsiteResdesignandGoldLevel AwardforTourismWebsite.Weinviteyoutoread abouttheseimpactfulinitiativesandmore throughoutthereport Thankyouforyoursupport andformakingallthisgrowthpossible
MAKING AN IMPACT
OLIVIA TOTH MARKETING MANAGER
Olivia Toth
paddle on &pedalthrough!
“Pedal On & Paddle Through” 2024 Print Advertisment Campaign. OTA RUBY Award Recipient
Why
Topromotethepoweroftraveltosupportour communitesandinspirevisitors
MISSION VISION WHY WE DO IT
KnoxCountyConvention&VisitorsBureauis thedestinationmarketingorganization(DMO) responsibleforpromotingKnoxCountyasan attractivetraveldestinationandenhancingits publicimageasadynamicplacetolive,work andvisit Throughtheimpactoftravel,our teamworksdiligentlytostrengthenthelocal economicposition,enrichcommunity developmentandpromoteopportunitiesfor peopletoconnectwiththeirpassions
RESPONSIBILITY
KnoxCountyConvention&VisitorsBureauisresponsible forpromotionandpublicizingKnoxCountywiththegoalto bringthepatronageandbuinessoftourists,andculltural, educational,religious,professional,andsports organizationsintotheCounty,forthebenefitofresidentsof theCountyandofthebusinesscommunity.
the Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau is vital for community enhancement.
Timeline of major milestones the Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau has accomplished since 2020
HOW WE’VE DONE IT 2020
Relocates to the historic CA&C Depot in downtown Mount Vernon, establishing a welcome center for visitors.
Engages contract with Great Lakes Publishing to modernize biannual Visitor Guide Magazine
Carol Grubaugh steps in as Executive Director and Olivia Toth joins as Marketing Manager
Partners with creative agency, Fahlgren Mortine, to initiate rebranding for the KCCVB that launches in July
Leads a successful partner collaboration project to create the Green Spaces Guide. 2022
Executes photoshoots, ideation and copy development for 2022-2023 Knox County Visitor Guide.
Launches 2022-2023 Visitor Guide Magazine and hosts inaugural Launch & Learn partner event.
Engages with MORPC on Trail Towns Framework project
Continues celebrating trails with partner event, TrailAPALOOZA.
Hosts Partner in Tourism Stakeholder meeting to educate and engage with tourism partners.
2023
Partners with creative agency, Fahlgren Mortine, to initiate website redesign and development.
Executes photoshoots, ideation and copy develoment for 2024-2025 Knox County Visitor Guide
2024
Launches new mobile-friendly platform, visitknoxohioorg
Launches 2024-2025 Visitor Guide Magazine and hosts Launch & Learn partner event Begins Strategic Planning for 2025-2030 with Ohio Travel AssociationExecutive Director, Melinda Huntley.
Invests in PlacerAI foot traffic and data intelligence technology to better serve tourism partners and drive economic development
DRIVING THE IMPACT
The Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau is funded through county and city bed tax to promote and grow awareness of Knox County and its communities for visitors, residents and businesses.
FUNDING
FundedsolelybyKnoxCountyandtheCityofMountVernonhotelandlodgingexcisetaxrevenue,the KnoxCountyConvention&VisitorsBureauistaskedtopromoteandpublicizeKnoxCountyandits communitiesinordertobringthepatronageandbuinessoftourists,andculltural,educational,religious, professional,andsportsorganizationsintotheCounty,forthebenefitofcitizensofKnoxCountyandof thebusinesscommunity KCCVBpreparesanannualmarketingstrategytoexecuteitsmissionbased onanticipatedbedtaxincome
BED TAX
Overallbedtaxreceiptshasrecoveredtopre-COVIDlevelsandshowngrowthsince2020. In2023 incomewasthehighestithasbeenoverthelastfiveyearsand2024projectionsareonpacetobe similar KnoxCountybedtaxaccountsfor87%ofKCCVBtotalincomethroughJune2024
GROWING THE OVERNIGHT SEGMENT
Thankstoourdedicatedandcreativelodgingpartners,KnoxCVBisabletocontinuallybemoreproactiveinthedirectmarketingofthecountyandsecurenewchannelsofconsumerengagement New hoteldevelopmentin2025willcontinuetosecuretheneededfundingtoincreaseandbroadenthe forwardfacingmessageofKnoxCountybeingagreatplacetolive,workandvisit.
Basedonmonthlybedtaxincome,theKCCVB canbetterunderstandseasonalityassociatedwith overnightguestsvisitingKnoxCounty.Thisinsight helpsusinformandworkwithpartnerstoexpand eventsduringslowermonthsandbettercordinate ourmarketingeffortstodriveadditionalovernight guestsintheoffseason.
OPTIMIZED BUDGET FOCUSED ON STRATEGIC MARKETING
TheKnoxCountyConvention&VisitorsBureaustaffandboardofdirectorssetsanoperatingbudget basedonprioryearincome,operationalneeds,andgoalsfortheupcomingyear.AsaDMOwiththe primaryfocusofpromotingKnoxCountyalongwithitscommunitiesandbusinessestobothvisitorsand residents,thebulkofourbudgetisgearedtowardsmarketingandsupportingpartners.TheKCCVB staffworkswiththemarketingcommitteetorecommendanddevelopastrategy Executingour marketingstrategyincreasestheopportunityforincreasedvisitorsandovernightguestsinKnox Countywhichresultsinadditionalbedtaxrevenuetoreinvestintoadditionalmarketingchannelsand touchpoints.
For2024,62%oftheKCCVBbudget wasallocatedtowardsmarketingrelatedexpenses AsofAugust2024, marketing-relatedexpensesareon trackcomparedtobudgetat60%. Thisyearthelargestcategoriesof marketingspendhavebeenprint, data&reportsandwebsitefollowing alongwithbigintiativesidentifiedin themarketingstrategy.
Visitor spending has increased in Knox County since 2021, putting more money into the local economy and supporting local businesses. Our mix of communities and amenities aligns with travel interests to support increased visitation and spending
GENERATING VISITOR SPENDING
KnoxCountyConvention&VisitorsBureau’spromotionandmarketing,locally,state-wideandbeyond, iseffectiveatinspiringinterestintheKnoxCountyarea,growingtourismandsupportinglocal businessesandpartners
TOURISM ECONOMIC TRENDS
VisitorstoKnoxCountycontributedadirectimpactof$90.2millionin2023,whichincludedspending bydayandovernightvisitors.Thisdirectspendinggenerated$150.6millionintotalimpact.
2021 2022 2023
($ MIL)
%
KNOX COUNTY VISITS
10.1M KNOX COUNTY VISITORS
1.3M +7.7% YOY
TOURISM SUPPORTS
1,906
JOBS IN KNOX COUNTY
CENTRAL OHIO IS THE SECOND LARGEST REGION OF TOURISM WITHIN THE STATE, WITH AN ANNUAL GROWTH OF 4.8%
HOUSEHOLD IMPACT
In the absence of Knox County tourism dollars, every household would need to contribute an additional $427 annually to match the compensation provided by the tourism industry. While many of our initiatives are focused on visitation, this impact shows how our work directly and positively affects our communities.
SOURCES: TOURISM ECONOMICS, IMPACT REPORT 2023; KNOX COUNTY AUDITOR 2024
TOURISM SUPPORTS
$32.3M
FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES IN KNOX COUNTY
THE TOTAL 1,906 JOBS IN KNOX COUNTY SUPPORTED BY VISITOR SPENDING ACCOUNTS FOR 5.9% OF ALL JOBS IN KNOX COUNTY.
PLACES TO STAY
There are 87 lodging establishments in Knox County including hotels, inns, campgrounds and BnBs. Increasing the overnight guest segment means increased sales tax dollar revenue for Knox County. KCCVB reinvests bed tax income received into continued marketing efforts, promoting travel and visitors within our communities
MARKETING STRATEGY RESULTS
With a marketing strategy created annually, The Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau develops marketing materials, print and digital advertisements, website content and more This strategy informs our marketing investments for the year ahead and gives us a road map to work with partners and creatively highlight the best Knox County has to offer
ADVERTISMENTS (QR CODES)
PrintadvertisementsforKnoxCountyspannedacrossmedians: magazines,advertorials,flyersandspecialitypublications With15+ differentprintadsin2024,ourcampaignssawnearly200QRcode scans Ourmostsuccesfulpublicationwasanewopportunitywith ExperienceColumbusVisitorGuide,topromoteour“PedalOnand PaddleThrough”campaign Withover185,000digitalimpressions and200,000copiesdistributedthourghoutOhioandbeyond
BLOG
WiththeKCCVBredesignedwebsite,itwasimportanttoaddblog contenttoourmarketingplanthisyear.Weusedourblogcontent tofeedourFacebookadvertisements,whichsawa62,000+reach frombothorganicandpaiddistribution.Themostsuccessfulblog andadcampaignwaspromotingthenewmuralatFredericktown’s BrickhouseGrind,withover15,000impressionsandover650page sessions
DISTRIBUTION
TheKCCVBworkswiththreedistributionchannelstomoveour VisitorGuideacrossandbeyondOhio KnoxCountyVisitorGuideis locatedinallOhioTravelInformationCenters,tradeshowsinfour out-of-statemarketsandregionaldestinationpartners.Tradeshows arechosentoalignwithamentieswehavelocallyandarereviewed annuallybasedonwebsiteandsocialtrafficthatismostpopular.
200 QR CODE SCANS ACROSS PRINT ADS
15+ PRINT ADS
2.7K BLOG PAGE SESSIONS
6 NEW BLOGS ON WEBSITE
11 TRAVEL AND TRADESHOWS
50K PRINTED GUIDES
EVENTS
TheKCCVBisdedicatedtoholdingonelargepartnereventannuallyto connectwithpartners,sharenewinsightsandeducateonindustry trends Thisyear,ourLaunch& Learngathered60+tourismpartnersto celebratethelaunchofthenewVisitorGuide Partnerslearnedfrom OhioTravelAssociationExecutiveDirector,MelindaHuntleyaboutthe stateoftourismanditsimpactonalocallevel Educationisoneofthe topdriversoftravelinOhio
SOCIAL PLATFORMS
TheKCCVBusesFacebookandInstagramasitsprimaryplatforms. Ourfollowerdemographicsare70%female/30%maleandrange from35-55yearsofage.Weleveragelargepartnereventstocreate digitaladvertisementsandsawacombined50,000impressionson theSummerFrontPorchConcertSeriesandtheFredericktown TomatoShow.Thiskindofinteractioninformsusourfolloweris interestedinlargeeventsandfindsourpageavaluableresource
VISITOR GUIDE
Bi-annuallytheKCCVBprints50,000VisitorGuidestodistributein Ohioandbeyond The2024-2025VisitorGuideMagazineaddednew communitysectionstospotlighthoweachvillageandcityisuniqueto thevisitorexperience Curiousexplorerswillfindthreenewitineraries forfamilyfun,multi-daytripsandtraillovers Thisyear’sguidehadnew photoshighlightingtheKokosingGapTrail,FlappersBar&Grilleand theKokosingStateScenicRiver.
WEBSITE
Afterayearofplanning,testing anddevelopmentwith FahlgrenMortine,theKCCVBlaunchedaredesigned websitewithamobile-firstapproachthatprovidesa seamlessuserexperience Newcommunitypageshighlight eachvillageandcityasitsowndestinationandtheevent calendarismoreuser-friendlyforpartnerstopromotetheir events LaunchedinJanuary2024,oursitehasseenover 76,000users,a54%increaseYoY.
2:01
60+
20+ KNOX COUNTY LOCALS FEATURED
60+ PARTNER QR SCANS MIN
AVERAGE SESSION DURATION
INVESTMENTS
The KCCVB is dedicated to providing our partners with resources that help drive their business, event, point of interest or organization Our biggest investments will continue to be our most impactful
WEBSITE
MOBILE FRIENDLY
IMPROVED NAVIGATION
COMMUNITY PAGES
EDITORIAL FEATURES
ITINERARIES
COUNTY EVENT CALENDAR
ANALYTICS DASHBOARD
LEAD DEVELOPMENT
VISITOR INSIGHTS
TOTAL VISITORS
UNIQUE VISITORS
BENCHMARKING
VISITOR DEMOGRAPHICS
TARGETED MARKETING
INFORMED STRATEGIES
PARTNER EDUCATION
PARTNER INSIGHTS
VISITOR GUIDE
COMMUNITY PAGES
FEATURED AMENITIES
IMPROVED STORYTELLING
GUIDED ITINERARIES
PHOTO LIBRARY
PARTNERSHIPS (COMMUNITY + ORGANIZATIONS)
BLOG CONTENT
FOCUSED CAMPAIGNS
CO-BRANDING
PLANS & STRATEGIES
COMMUNITY SIGNAGE
COORDINATED MESSAGES
STRATEGIC PLANNING
2025-30 STRATEGY
STAFFING NEEDS
STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK
GOAL ALIGNMENT
FOCUS GROUPS
BRANDING
COHESIVE BRANDING
COMMUNITY SIGNAGE
CO-BRANDING
COMMUNICATION PLANS
COORDINATED MESSAGES
STATE PARTNERS
The KCCVB works with several state-wide organizations on initatives that help charge the industry forward From orgnizationsl strategies to trail planning, collaborating with these partners informs our marketing efforts in support of Knox County
OHIO, THE HEART OF IT ALL
Ohio,TheHeartofitAllistheStateAgency withintheDepartmentofDevelopmentthat marketsOhio’stourismexperiencestotravelers, potentialresidents,prospectivebusinessesand more.Byaligningoureffortswiththeirinitiatives, wecancreateapowerfulnarrativeandbrand thatreachesfarandwide
OHIO TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
OHIO TO ERIE TRAIL
TheOhiotoErieTrail(OTET)isthe326miletrailthat linkstheOhioRivertoLakeErie,primarilyonrailtrails andcanalpaths.KnoxCountysitsinthemiddleof thistrailconnectionandisapopularstoponthe 326-milejourney Weworkwithitsteamthrough datasharing,collaborationandpromotion.
OHIO ASSOCIATION OF CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAUS
TheOhioTravelAssociation(OTA)isthe leadingvoiceandshepherdofthetravel industry.Ourmembershipprovidestopnotch industryeducation,advocacytools,statewiderecognitionandstrategicplanning resources. MembersofOhioAssociationofConvention &VisitorsBureau(OACVB)arearmedwith networking,educationandgovernmentaffairs resourcesnecessaryfordestinationmarketing organizations
MID-OHIO REGIONAL PLANNING
KnoxCountyispartofthe15-countryregionthat Mid-OhioRegionalPlanning(MORPC)assists. KCCVBhasbeenapartofitsTrailTownStrategic Developmentprojectandholdsaseatonits CentralOhioGreenwaysBoardandtheTrail TownsCommittee.
LOCAL PARTNERS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TheKCCVB partnerswithorganizationslike theKnoxCountyAreaDevelopment FoundationandKnoxChamberofCommerce tobetterunderstandworkforcedevelopment, localbusinessgrowthandhowourworkcan helpassistwithanychallengestheyseeinthe community Theirpartnershipwithusisvitalin enforcingandhighlightingtheattractive amenitiesKnoxCountyofferstoallresidents, businessesandvisitors.
BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS
TheKCCVBservesbeyondthevisitorwhenwe workcloselywithbusinessownersor organizations Weofferbrandingconsults, marketingcoachingandindivualizedpartner meetingstohelpunderstandtheirgoalsand movetheirbusinessororganizationforward.
AMENITY RELATED PARTNERS
Largeparks,bigstagesanduniqueamenties requireaspecialpartnershipwiththeKCCVB whereweprovidethemaplatformonour websiteandpromotetheireventsthrough advertisngandsocialmediachannels.Our communityassetsarewhatmakesKnoxCounty aplacevistiorsandresidentswanttoexplore
Locally, the KCCVB’s priority is to work closely with partners who share the commitment to drive economic and community development forward.
PARTNER IMPACT
The KCCVB works to market Knox County as a great place to live, work and play That means supporting our partners to leverage local amenities and events - and using insights to better understand the visitor and the visitor experience
Analyzing mobility data, we know people that visit Knox County come back again. In 2023, 1.3 million visited our county resuliting in over 10 million visits.
MOUNT VERNON
TheKnoxCountyseat,MountVernon offersadiversemixofsmall-townvibes withbigcityexperiences.Partnerslike, ExperienceMountVernonbringa vibrancytodowntownthatkeeps excitementtothestreets,visitorstothe shopsandfoodiesexploringmore.
VILLAGES & MERCHANTS
Centerburg,Danville,Fredericktownand Gambierarethevillagesthateachaddto thenaturalamenitiesandhiddengemsof KnoxCounty Highlightingthese communitiesindiviuallygivesresidents andvisitorsasenseofplaceandpride. Streetfairs,shophops,andfestivalsall addtothevisitorexperience.
EVENTS 6
OUTDOORS & RECREATION
KnoxCounty’sgreenspacesandrecreationare someofourmostbelovedassets.Frommighty spectacleslikeAriel-FoundationParktoHoney RunWaterfall,ournaturalresources are unmatched. With35milesofpaved,multi-usetrailacrossthe county,cyclistsfromnearandfar,oftentraveling theOhioToErieTrail,makeKnoxCountytheir must-seestops(andstays).Notonlyarewe sittingrightinthemiddleoftheOhiotoErietrail (326-miletrailfromClevelandtoCincinnati)but wearepartoftheGreatAmericanRailTrail The GreatAmericanRailTrailspanstheUnitedStates, EasttoWest,andsofariscompiledof2,000 miles.Youdon'thavetotravelfartoreachthe stillnessorspaceyouneed,it'srighthereinour parks,trails,waterways
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ArtsareawayoflifeinKnoxCountyandthereis roomformakersofallkindstocultivatetheirskills andfindsupportfromourcommunities,readyto celebrateallthereistooffer
TheKCCVBworkswiththeartspartnersto understandeachofthepartnerchallenges, goals,andaccomplishments In2023,art partnersinMountVernonbeganquarterly meetingstobettercollaborate,shareresources andsetgoalsfortheyearahead.TheKCCVB attendsthemeetingstoreceiveupdates,report marketingefforts,consultonstrategyand providevisitorinsights And2024isthefirsttime toworkwithMVACaheadofannouncingthe upcomingseason,offeringmoretimetoidentify relevantmarketingstrategiestopromotethe seasonandcreateopportunitiestoreachmore localandout-of-countyvisitors.
OUTDOORS & RECREATION PAGE VIEWS 5.2K
GREEN SPACES GUIDES DISTRIBUTED 20K CA&C VISITOR CENTER VISITORS 10K
FREE BIKE KNOX OHIO STICKERS + POSTCARDS AT THE CA&C VISITOR CENTER
ART EVENT PAGE VIEWS 6.3K
WOODWARD OPERA HOUSE VISITORS 22.8K MEMORIAL THEATER VISITORS 11.2K
KN X COUNTY
solar eclipse 20 24
Total
Monday, April
SOCIAL
TheKCCVBhostedthecommunitySolar EclipseFacebookEventpagetomarket the10+eventsgoingoninthecounty duringtheweekendofthesolareclipse SocialMediaeclipsecontentreached 10,000+uniqueusers.
LANDING & EVENT PAGE
TheKCCVBhostedthelandingwebpage fortheSolarEclipseonourwebsite This eventpagewasourmostvisitedpagewith 3,220pageviewsand2,309users.Our eventpagehadlinkstoallofourpartner eventsacrossthecounty Wealso partneredwiththestatetourismofficeto highlightourcommunityeventsthrougha KnoxCountylandingpage.
BRANDING
TheKCCVBcreatedabrandandlogofor thisevent,givingourpartnersan opportunitytoco-brandtheirmaterials. Stickerswerecreatedanddistributedto theeventstakingplaceinFredericktown andAriel-FoundationPark
QR CODE SCANS 90
ECLIPSE GLASSES DISTRIBUTED
1,500 VISITORS ON SOLAR ECLIPSE 41K VISITORS AT ARIEL-FOUNDATION PARK 4.1K VISITORS IN FREDERICKTOWN 1.5K
Ohio’s
Solar Eclipse took place on
8, 2024. In partnership with the Knox County Emergency Management Agency, the Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau helped lead the efforts surrounding the Solar Eclipse, with planning efforts and meetings beginning in 2022
AM250-OH KNOX COUNTY PLANNING COMMITTEE
TheKCCVBhasgatheredagroupof interestedstakeholdersacrossthecounty fromalldifferentorganizationsand businessestositontheplanning committeefortheAM250-OHKnox Countyplanning
LANDING & EVENT PAGE
Muchlikethesolareclipse,theKCCVBwill behostingalandingpageforallthings AM250-OHKnoxCountyandlooksforward totrackingmetricsacrossourplatforms
Ohio’s celebration of US Semiquincentennial (also referred to as America 250-Ohio) has already begun The Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau has been charged to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the impact of Ohioans (Knox County) in the nation’s past, present, and future
2025-2026 GOALS
ALIGN WITH STATEWIDE EFFORTS
CO-BRANDING & BEAUTIFICATION
TheKCCVB,alongwithExperienceMount VernonandADFExperienceCoordinator areworkingonco-brandingand beautificationeffortsinMountVernonand allthevillages Thiscohesivebranding acrossthecountywillhelpourAM250OHeffortsstandoutandenhanceour MainStreetcorridors.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
The KCCVB is the curator of experiences in Knox County. Through our print, digital and other marketing efforts, we tell the story of the unexplored and unexpected of Knox County And sometimes, that storytelling is recognized by top marketers and industry leaders for its creativity, execution and hand-crafted messaging
OHIO TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
2024 RUBY Awards
RUBYAward,PrintAdvertising
RUBYAward,Website
Finalist,VisitorGuideMagazine
2023 RUBY Awards
Finalist,OverallMarketingCampaign
2022 RUBY Awards
CitationofExcellence,SpiritofCommunity(TrailAPALOOZA)
Finalist,VisitorGuideMagazine
2021 Ohio Travel Industry Emerging Leader Award
OHIO ASSOCIATION OF CONVENTION & VISITOR BUREAUS
2022 STAR Awards
FirstPlace,SpecialityMarketing(TrailAPALOOZA)
EXPERIENCE MOUNT VERNON
2022 Experience Mount Vernon Investors Breakfast Non-ProfitoftheYear
KNOX COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
2022 Knox County Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner
Finalist,LeadershipKnoxDistinguishedAlumniAward
WEBSITE
2024 PRSA Central Ohio, PRism Awards
WebsiteRedesign
2023 AVA International Digital Awards
GoldLevel,TourismWebsite
TESTIMONIALS
From business owners to community members and all our tourism partners in between, we are here to help Below are just a few partners that felt supported, inspired and empowered by our work
“WORKING WITH THE KCCVB TO PROMOTE OUR VILLAGE EVENT WAS SO HELPFUL. THEY HAD THE RESOURCES TO PUSH OUR EVENT FURTHER OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR OTHER VISITORS TO FEEL INSPIRED TO EXPLORE OUR SMALL COMMUNITY.”
KAITLIN SOCKMAN
GambierVillageCouncil
“WHEN I FIRST REVIEWED THE NEW KCCVB WEBSITE, I THOUGHT IT WAS WONDERFUL, BUT THEN I TESTED IT ON MY PHONE AND WAS SO BLOWN AWAY BY ITS MOBILE-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCE I FELT LIKE I HAD MY OWN KNOX COUNTY TOUR GUIDE IN MY POCKET ”
BRANDI GLEASON
Owner+Operator,GleasonFamilyAdventuresandOhioRoadTrips
“WE RECENTLY ADDED A MURAL TO OUR COFFEE SHOP AND WHEN OLIVIA HEARD, SHE CAME RIGHT OVER TO INTERVIEW ME, MEET WITH THE MURALIST AND SIT WITH ME TO TALK ABOUT MY SHOP’S GOALS FOR THE NEXT QUARTER. AFTER OUR MEETING, HER BLOG POST ABOUT US BROUGHT MORE VISITORS TO OUR SHOP AND TRAFFIC TO OUR PAGES.”
KAREN SUSI
Owner+Operator,BrickhouseGrind
KCCVB & COMMISSIONERS
COHESIVE STRATEGY
With the Together Knox initiative kicking off in 2024 and projected growth of the county, the KCCVB would like to partner with the Commissioners closely to explore and excute the following wayfinding projects to better enhance the ways in which we welcome residents, businesses and visitors to Knox County
COUNTY SIGNAGE
GOAL
TO ENHANCE CO-BRANDING OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY TO LEVERAGE OUR GROWTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
AIRPORT
P P O R TU N ITIES
The Knox County Regional Airport welcomes thousands of visitors and bussinesses each year After updates to the facilities over the years, the signage from the high traffic roadways has not been updated These signs need to orient travelers, provide an effortless path of travel and provide consistency across signage With the new Knox County Regional Airport Aviation Center breaking ground in 2024, it is the perfect time to collaborate on efforts for a cohesive look upon completion of the property in 2025
COUNTY LINES MULTI-USE TRAILS
The KCCVB would like to work closely with the county engineer and Ohio Department of Transportation to remove outdated Knox County Signage along our main state routes in the county Once inventoried and removed, we would work with ODOT to identify how we can work within their guidelines to add consistent “welcome” and “exit” signs for the county Wayfinding for our county is vital to our sense of place, pride and the overall brand experience we offer to residents, businesses and visitors
In 2022, Hillar Township approached the Knox County Park District about signage across the multi-use trails to better inform trailusers on their location and to highlight the townships The KCCVB would like to evolve this project by collaboration with relevant partners to meet the comprehensive goals of marketing trail amenities in Knox County, promoting the nearby communities and townships, and keeping trail users excited to explore more surrounding the trails
KCCVB & COMMISSIONERS PARTNERSHIPS
The KCCVB is committed to building strong partnerships throughout the entire community Our relationship with the Commisioners is vital to be stewards of our mission, goals and responsibility to our local community
Here are just a few ways partners can connect with our work and champion our initiatives
HOSTING AN EVENT? HOSTING A GROUP, CONFERENCE OR LARGE EVENT?
Upload your event to our Event Calendar Our new website has made sharing your events with the community and guests easier than ever before
Let us help welcome your guests with copies of our 2024-2025 Visitor Guide Magazine To collaborate on welcome bags or collateral, email marketing@visitknoxohioorg
HAVE A HIGH TRAFFIC LOBBY OR RECEPTION AREA?
Let us provide bulk copies of our 2024-2025 Knox County Visitor Guide Magazine for your guests For bulk guide requests, email info@visitknoxohioorg
HAVE A STORY TO TELL? BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION UPDATE?
HAVE GOOD NEWS TO SHARE?
Our team is always looking for new stories to share about what makes Knox County so special Whether featured on a blog, marketing initiatives or in our biannual Visitor Guide Magazine, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to marketing@visitknoxohioorg
New photography, business hours, schedules of events and more? Let us share that on your business Point of Interest page Reach out to marketing@visitknoxohioorg
Share your press release with us and add us to your media list All press releases can be sent to marketing@visitknoxohioorg
