Enjoying Indiana.

• Author: KRONEMYER, BOB
• Position: Muncie Visitors Bureau promotes tourism

Tourism is a $6 billion industry.

There's nothing like free national television exposure to increase tourism in your area. So when talk-show host David Letterman recently devoted one of his Top 10 lists to what's great about being a graduate of Ball State University, the Muncie Visitors Bureau in Muncie was pleased as punch. After all, Letterman is a graduate of the university.

Meanwhile, Jim Davis, who draws Garfield the cat, is from the Muncie area. "We use the image of Garfield on all our marketing pieces," says Aloyse Baney, marketing director at the visitors bureau.

Still, despite having two celebrity tie-ins, for the Muncie Visitors Bureau attracting people is not a slam-dunk. "We are situated between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, which are two major cities," Baney notes. "We try to nab visitors going either way, especially by motorcoach."

The Ball canning jar has its roots here and is a major attraction, along with the Ball mansions. There is also the Muncie Children's Museum and the Academy of Model Aeronautics and National Aviation Museum. "We definitely want people to stay overnight," Baney says. "We offer trails and other family-oriented venues such as our Prairie Greek reservoir."

The travel bureau promotes the area at four major annual trade shows, as well as to tour operators through a trade publication called Courier magazine. Print advertising also appears in Indianapolis Monthly.

Up north, the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau in Elkhart focuses on Amish country for the leisure traveler. "We market in a very sensitive way," says executive director Diana Lawson. "It is respectful. We also educate visitors about the culture." All printed materials, including the vacation planner, encourage people not to take pictures or video of the Amish.

Because people today are extremely busy and often don't put much planning in their vacation, especially the getaway, the Elkhart County bureau has created two audio driving tours (listen on cassette or CD; $10 refundable deposit). "The Heritage Trail" is a 90-minute loop throughout Amish country. "It takes you into the back-roads," says Lawson, "so you can discover little shops and places to stop on your own."

The second audio driving tour is a furniture crafters' tour. "The art of furniture crafting has been passed down through the generations," Lawson says. "We have a huge number of furniture crafters in our area--everything from outdoor furniture to fine-crafted furniture." Each...