Ohio tourism could benefit from Cedar Fair's big buy

Monday, 05 June 2006

By BRANDI BARHITE
brandibarhite@sanduskyregister.com

SANDUSKY - Ohio is carving itself a place among must-visit states for vacationers.

Cedar Fair's recent purchase of Paramount Parks is another notch away from the mostly once-industrial state.

Behind only Disney and Six Flags, Ohio-based Cedar Fair is the third largest amusement park operator now.

Three of Cedar Fair's amusement parks are in Ohio. Kings Island, near Cincinnati, will soon join the Ohio family of Cedar Point in Sandusky and Geauga Lake in Aurora.

While Florida and California are top two states for amusement parks and attractions, Ohio is highly regarded for its entertainment as well.

Beyond Florida and California, the other states aren't ranked for their amusement. However, Ohio is home to nearly 30 amusement parks and attractions, which includes zoos, museums and entertainment centers, according to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, Alexandria, Va.

"Ohio is definitely becoming a state known for year-round attractions," said IAAPA spokeswoman Beth Robertson. "We now consider it an amusement state."

Tamara Brown, public relations manager for the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism, doesn't expect state marketing to change with the Cedar Fair's monopoly on large amusement parks in Ohio.

"It's been interesting some of the calls we have been receiving," Brown said. "The amusement parks have huge budgets to promote themselves. Kings Island was regarded highly before."

The Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism has a $6 million budget for 2006, with about $5 million to be spent directly on marketing programs. The state is being marketed under the brand, "Ohio É So much to Discover!"

Visitors took 162.9 million trips to Ohio in 2004, up from 156 million in 2003, according to most recent state tourism figures.

"Obviously, we always hope we can promote Ohio more," said Stacy Frole, director of investor relations for Cedar Fair. "We already have two parks here. Soon to be a third. It's too early to tell what our marketing strategy will be."

Cedar Point pulls guests from Ohio and Michigan, while Kings Island also pulls from states south of Cincinnati, such as Kentucky, Frole said.

Robertson said indoor waterparks are extending Ohio's tourism season.

Twenty years ago, Ohio wasn't thought of as a tourist state. Cedar Point was a focal point of the state, she said, but it's what came with the park that has made Ohio a destination.

"When you look at tourism dollars, it's not just what parks are bringing in," Robertson said. "It's hotels, restaurants, gasoline, visiting other attractions and shopping."

With the price of gas these days, vacationing families want to have a lot of entertainment options in one area, Robertson said.

Mark Litten, director of the Greater Erie Marketing group, said he doesn't think Ohio is a tourist state, although tourism is a big economic engine for Erie County, he said.

A good industrial paying job yields about $942 weekly, while a service job, which could be tourism-related, makes about $451 per week.

"As long as Florida and California exist, I wouldn't think we would be considered a tourism state," Litten said.

Productivity-wise industry is still healthy in Ohio, although there are less jobs because of technology, according to Litten.

Joan Van Offeren, executive director of the Sandusky-Erie County Visitor & Convention Bureau, said the Ohio tourism industry is thrilled to have Cedar Fair take over Kings Island with its reputation for safety, friendliness, cleanliness and continual investments and improvements.

"Ohio tourism will benefit from Cedar Fair's investment at Kings Island," Van Offeren said.

FunCoast.com is your online guide to summer fun for Cedar Point, the LakeErie Islands and Sandusky area. Our site offers up-to-date information on area attractions, restaurants, hotels, gasoline prices, ferry schedules, swimming, birding and fishing, along with a complete listing of events happening in the Sandusky/Cedar Point area. To use our Webcam and zoom in on Cedar Point's rollercoasters, go to http://funcam.funcoast.com

Copyright 2006 the Sandusky Register. All rights reserved.

All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of the Sandusky Register or FunCoast.com. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.