Tourism board to broaden its view

When it comes to promoting tourism, think big, board members say.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A broad, regional approach must be taken to encourage tourism in the Mahoning Valley, according to a Mahoning County commissioner and members of the county's new tourist promotion board.
"Please pursue in your meetings and look at regionalizing," and working jointly with Trumbull County in tourism promotion, said Anthony Traficanti, chairman of the Mahoning County Commissioners. Traficanti spoke at Thursday's inaugural meeting of the Mahoning County Convention and Visitors Bureau Board.
"The visitors don't care when they're coming for cultural attractions or a good time whether or not they've crossed a county line," said Carol Potter, Mill Creek MetroParks marketing director and a member of the new tourism board.
James Cobbin, president of CCS Trans Inc., a Youngstown travel and transportation agency and bus tour operator, said the area needs to broaden its horizons and take advantage of its central location when promoting tourism. Seventy-five percent of the U.S. population lives within an eight-hour drive of Youngstown, said Cobbin, a member of the new CVB board.
Another idea
Tourism board member Andy Hamady said the board should cultivate travel industry representatives outside the Valley, such as those in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Columbus areas, who can schedule multiday bus trips that include visits to events and attractions in the Mahoning Valley.
"We don't need to just talk to the market here, but we want to bring in new dollars,'' Potter agreed.
The new 11-member board, appointed by the county commissioners, is funded by the county's 3 percent hotel and motel bed tax. With about $153,000 accumulated so far and about $197,000 from anticipated revenue this year, the tourism board will have about $350,000 to spend this year, according to Carol Kaufmann, chief deputy auditor.
County Commissioner John McNally IV said the commissioners will approve tourism board spending and the county auditor's office will be the repository for the board's money. The board will likely be housed initially in the county administration building, and its soon-to-be-hired director will be a county employee, he said.
What was recommended
In its first official act, the new board recommended the county commissioners award a $500 sponsorship to a June 24 golf outing in Mill Creek Park to be conducted by Plumbers & amp; Pipefitters Local 396.
Richard Ouzounian, director of the Western Reserve Film Commission, told the board his commission, which received $65,000 last year from the lodging tax, is dormant due to lack of funding. The film commission seeks $150,000 this year.
The commission promotes on-location shooting of films in the Mahoning Valley to pump money into the local economy. The tourism board took no action on his request.
Ouzounian told the board he believes the $65,000 spent on his agency last year generated $3 million in local economic activity.