DANVILLE, IN (April 25, 2024) –When Ray Embry decided to open Press Play Gaming Lounge at the height of the pandemic in 2020, he knew he had a good product that both residents and visitors would enjoy, but he couldn’t predict its sustainability.
“When we first started, our expenses were through the roof,” Embry said. “As a small business, you worry about operations and expenses which left us with virtually no money to reach people. Visit Hendricks County came alongside us and got us into magazines on Google listings, social media ads. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where we would be.”
Press Play and other tourism gems in Hendricks County including Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and Mayberry Cafe continue to thrive as Hendricks County tourism reached record marks in visitor spending, growing by more than 11 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, the most recent year complete data was available.
The new economic impact report by Rockport Analytics, an independent market research and consulting company, mirrored results statewide that tourism is flourishing at every level.
“We continue to see positive momentum year after year in visitor spending,” said Jaime Bohler Smith, Visit Hendricks County’s Executive Director/CEO. “Revenues generated from tourism help our businesses and provide an improved quality of life for every resident.”
Travel generated $352.5 million of visitor spending for the Hendricks County economy. Of the 92 Indiana counties, Hendricks ranked 10th in tourism spending. The rise in visitor spending generated $205 million in new net value added to the Hendricks County economy, according to Rockport Analytics.
Tourism also supported 4,696 local jobs, making it the ninth largest industry in Hendricks County excluding government. More than 4 percent of local jobs were supported by visitors with 3,700 people directly employed in a tourism-related profession.
Taking an even wider view, over the last 10 years Hendricks County visitor spending has ballooned by more than $120 million annually.
So, what do the numbers mean? Tourism continues to support our communities and their residents by lowering taxes and creating jobs which enhances Hendricks County’s quality of work, life and play.
For more information about the Hendricks County economic impact report or to download it, go to www.VisitHendricksCounty.com/Report.
To learn more about tourism in Hendricks County, follow Visit Hendricks County on its website at www.VisitHendricksCounty.com, Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VisitHendricksCounty or on Instagram at HendricksCounty.
The Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc., d/b/a Visit Hendricks County attracts visitors to the county by promoting and developing tourism, which stimulates economic growth and enhances quality of life. For more information, visit our website at VisitHendricksCounty.com or call (317) 718-8750.
