Terrorism fears keep tourists coming

Sunday, 10 September 2006

Ohio's within 600 miles of 60 percent of the nation's people. That's good for people who'd rather drive than fly.

By BENJAMIN ROODE
benjaminroode@sanduskyregister.com

SANDUSKY - The Firelands has seen an influx of tourism since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Whether or not that's a result of safety concerns on airlines, advertising or word of mouth is difficult to determine, say local tourism officials, although the general consensus is that it was.

Both Ottawa and Erie counties saw a huge boom in tourism, while Ohio saw a more modest increase after 9/11. The fears of flying and unease around high-profile tourist destinations meant more vacationers staying on the roads and closer to home.

In Ottawa County, the numbers soared, said visitors' bureau director Larry Fletcher.

"Our area, in many ways, benefited from... the fear people had of air travel," he said.

In 2001, the county saw an estimated $358.4 million in tourism revenues. In 2003, the next available data year, that total jumped almost $200 million to $545.4 million. The state did not commission a 2002 report.

"I think this recent scare probably will do the same thing in many ways," he said. "The more inconvenient and dangerous, as perceived by travelers, it is to get on a plane and fly to an oceanfront resort... the more likely people will say, 'Why not head up to the lake and have the same type of experience?'"

Whatever the reason, the brisk influx of tourism dollars has led Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce director Maggie Beckford to still play to the strengths of the islands as a semi-secluded getaway just off the radar screen from the everyday world.

"I think the fact is we just have a natural resource here," she said. "Some people who live within 50 miles are just discovering (the islands)."

The seclusion of a island can do wonders to quell any fears vacationers might have, though, she said.

Erie County also benefited from drivers, said Sandusky-Erie County Visitor and Convention Bureau director Joan Van Offeren.

"I definitely think there was an effect (from Sept. 11)," she said. "We're a safe destination, and that's comforting to families."

Erie County saw a 50 percent increase from 2001 to 2003 in tourism dollars, jumping from $844 million in 2001 to $1.3 billion in 2003. Ohio did not commission 2002's study.

That increase can be attributed to Sept. 11 fears, Van Offeren said, but due consideration must be paid to the massive amount of hotel and attraction development in the county since 2000.

Cedar Point's attendance figures depend more on weather and gas prices than confidence in airplane safety, said park spokesperson Bryan Edwards.

The park saw 3.4 million guests in 2000, 3.1 million in 2001, 3.25 million in 2002, 3.3 million in 2003, 3.2 million in 2004 and 3.1 million in 2005.

The fluctuation shows little effect from the attacks, Edwards said, probably because only a small minority fly to get to Sandusky.

"The majority of guests drive to Cedar Point anyway because they're within a five-hour driving distance," he said.

9/11 also came near the end of Cedar Point's season. The amount of time elapsed between the attacks and the beginning of Cedar Point's next season could have mitigated any effect -- positive or negative -- the event would have had on the park's attendance through travel fears.

"If it happened in May or June, people could have canceled plans to vacation" meaning more of an impact on the park, he said.

The driving vacationer chose Ohio, a traditionally non-flight destination state, more after 9/11, said Tammy Brown with the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism. Ohio sits within 600 miles of about 60 percent of the nation's citizens, making it easier to drive and avoid air travel to see it.

"Ohio was still perceived as a safe destination after 9/11," she said. "Since the majority of our travelers drive to the state, there was no perceived fear about flying."

The apparent safety of the Buckeye State drew in vacationers by the carload. Statewide tourism revenues had been declining before Sept. 11, according to numbers from the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism in the Ohio Department of Development. Revenues dipped from $27.1 billion in spending in 1999 to $23.1 billion in 2001.

Those numbers inflated, much like in Ottawa County: 2003 saw $28.5 billion spent in state tourism, and 2004 saw $30.7 billion. Ohio also did not conduct 2002 research.

Tourism effect in dollars

Ottawa County:

2000 -- $348.4 million in tourism revenues

2001 -- $358.4 million

2002 -- no survey that year

2003 -- $545.4 million

2004 --$656 million

Erie County:

2000 -- $1.01 billion

2001 -- $844 million

2002 -- no survey that year

2003 -- $1.3 billion

2004 -- $1.5 billion

Ohio:

1999 -- $27.1 billion

2000 -- $25.7 billion

2001 -- $23.1 billion

2002 -- no survey that year

2003 -- $28.5 billion

2004 -- $30.7 billion

Cedar Point attendance:

1999 -- 3.26 million

2000 -- 3.4 million

2001 -- 3.1 million

2002 -- 3.25 million

2003 -- 3.3 million

2004 -- 3.2 million

2005 -- 3.1 million

Source: Ottawa County Visitors Bureau, Sandusky-Erie County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism, Cedar Fair LLC.

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