A little more than year ago, St. Joseph County took an important step toward defining its future.
Community leaders, local governments, venues, hospitality partners and residents came together to create a Tourism Master Plan designed not simply to attract more visitors, but to strengthen the entire community through strategic investment, collaboration, and long-term vision.
Today, that vision is beginning to take shape.
More than 5.7 million visitors travel to our community annually, supporting hotels, restaurants, retail businesses, attractions and thousands of local jobs. For decades, Notre Dame has been a major driver of visitation and national visibility for our region accounting for more than 62% of our visitors.
But over the past several years, something broader has started to happen.
Tourism is no longer defined by just football weekends or seasonal events. It has become part of a larger conversation about economic growth, quality of life, community identity and regional competitiveness.
You can see it across the county.
Youth sports tournaments bring families and teams to facilities like the Mishawaka Fieldhouse, Byers Softball Complex, Leeper Tennis Center, and Compton Family Ice Arena and the expanded Ice Box. Those visitors stay in local hotels, dine in area restaurants, shop in our stores and often return later for leisure trips. Youth sports have quickly become one of the largest tourism drivers in our community outside of Notre Dame athletics delivering nearly 50,000 hotel room nights each year.
At the same time, events, concerts, festivals, and community gatherings continue to create energy and vibrancy throughout South Bend, Mishawaka, New Carlisle and communities across the county.
Trails, parks, entertainment districts and local experiences are becoming increasingly important not only for visitors, but for residents deciding where they want to live, work and raise families. In August, we will build a connection with the Boots on the Bend country music festival at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds, where more than 20,000 people are expected both on Aug. 14 and 15.
That connection matters. Places people want to visit are often places people want to live.
The Tourism Master Plan recognized that reality. Rather than focusing only on marketing, the plan emphasized collaboration, destination development, infrastructure, sports tourism, placemaking and the visitor experience. It challenged us to think bigger about how tourism can support the community as a whole.
One year later, we are beginning to see momentum build in meaningful ways.
Local partnerships are stronger. Conversations between tourism, economic development, parks, sports organizations, municipalities and community leaders are becoming more coordinated. Investments in facilities and amenities are helping position St. Joseph County to compete for events and opportunities that were once out of reach.
Importantly, this work also supports local workers and small businesses.
Tourism dollars do not stop at the hotel front desk. They support restaurant servers, hotel housekeepers, bartenders, event staff, retail employees, maintenance crews, rideshare drivers and countless others whose work helps create memorable experiences for visitors every day.
The good news is St. Joseph County has tremendous momentum.
We have world-class collegiate athletics, growing youth sports infrastructure, vibrant downtowns, expanding outdoor amenities, unique local attractions, and a hospitality community that consistently delivers for visitors. More importantly, we have people who care deeply about this region and are committed to building something stronger together.
Without question, there is still work ahead.
The Tourism Master Plan was never intended to sit on a shelf. It was designed to serve as a roadmap and one that requires long-term commitment, collaboration and continued investment. Success will not happen overnight, but progress is already visible.
And perhaps most importantly, the benefits extend far beyond tourism itself.
When we invest in experiences, amenities and quality places, residents benefit first. Visitors may help fuel the economy, but the lasting impact is a stronger, more vibrant community for the people who call St. Joseph County home.
One year after adopting the Tourism Master Plan, that future feels closer than ever.
Visit South Bend Mishawaka is here to help tell our story, highlight our incredible experiences and bring the best to The Bend. Here are just a few exciting upcoming event highlights. To see more, head to visitsouthbend.com.
• June 1: Mishawaka’s Summer Concert Series at Battell Park
• June 5: Fridays by the Fountain at Morris Performing Arts Center
• June 7: Rebel Art Festival at Potawatomi Park
• June 13: Mishawaka Retrofest at Ironworks Plaza
Jeff Jarnecke is the executive director of Visit South Bend Mishawaka (jjarnecke@visitsouthbend.com).
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Tourism is bigger than visitors — and St. Joseph County is seeing why
Reporting by Jeff Jarnecke, Guest columnist / South Bend Tribune
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