ANDERSON — Indiana has a little bit of everything for tourists.
That was the message delivered by Carrie Lambert, marketing director for the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) during the Chamber of Commerce for Anderson & Madison County Women in Business Breakfast on Thursday.
She encouraged the 40 assembled residents and businesses owners to get to know the Anderson-Madison County Visitors and Convention Bureau and other such organizations throughout the state.
“A lot of people don’t know what a CVB (convention and visitors bureau) is, but they’re a great resource,” Lambert said. “Wherever you’re going, find a CVB and find out what the area has to offer.”
Michigan has more beaches, Ohio has more theme parks and Illinois has a big city in Chicago. Indiana’s strength, Lambert said, lies in its balance and variety of attractions.
Indiana Dunes, its state parks and the caves of southern Indiana are attractive natural features, while Indiana Beach and especially Holiday World are theme parks known for being family friendly. Bloomington, West Lafayette and South Bend are vibrant college towns, and Indianapolis offers the full urban experience.
But Lambert said the Hoosier state boasts some lesser-known attractions that should not be ignored. Indiana has three wine trails and the Albanese Confectionary, while Columbus is ranked among the top five cities in the nation for its architecture. At Fair Oaks Farms, north of Lafayette, visitors can see a calf being born every three hours.
And don’t forget about casino gaming. With the addition of slot machines at Indiana Downs in Shelbyville and Anderson’s own Hoosier Park, Indiana has even more power to draw from neighboring states, who outgun the Hoosier State in tourism promotion budgets.
“We have our own line item out of the state general fund, which we’re excited about, but our budget is 43rd in the nation,” Lambert said. “We’re less than half of all our neighboring states, but we make our dollars work hard for us at the IOTR.”
Earlier, Keith Pitcher of the Chamber of Commerce for Anderson & Madison County, talked about the organization’s move from its downtown location at 205 W. 11th Street to the Flagship Enterprise Center at Exit 22 near Interstate 69.
“The Flagship Enterprise Center, if you’ve not seen it, is a wonderful facility,” Pitcher said. “Anderson University and Purdue University have offices there. Its business incubator is fostering the businesses that will be creating jobs in our community.”
The move is expected to take a few months.
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10 a.m.: Indiana offers a variety of tourism
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