Get your kicks on Indiana 66; Indiana tourism promotion takes to the road with regional destination marketing.

• Author: Faris, Charlene

When John Steinbeck wrote "66 is the mother road, the road of flight," little did he know that decades later, Hoosier tourism developers would use the idea in their marketing efforts.

True, Indiana can't lay claim to any stretch of the famed Route 66, but it does have a state highway numbered 66 that's been designated a scenic route. In addition to Indiana's Route 66, their's a Route 50, a Route 56, a Route 62, a Route 69 and a Route 80/90. Some are state highways, some are U.S. routes and some are interstates. All are roads around which tourism-promotion efforts have been revolving.

Because Indiana is fortunate to offer travelers dozens and dozens of attractions close to its major roads, tourism promoters have been able to create driving loops, cassette driving tours and day-by-day itineraries for sightseers. Dubbed regional destination marketing, the concept brings together convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce and tourism commissions into regional consortiums.

Indiana's twist to this marketing concept is that tourism promoters have built campaigns around major highways as well as back roads.

It's impossible to list all of the attractions along the way, so we offer just a sampling of the themed tours and key attractions. For more Indiana travel information, call the Indiana Division of Tourism at 800/289-6646 or 317/232-8860.

I-69 CULTURAL CORRIDOR

A consortium of communities and attractions situated close to Interstate 69 makes up the I-69 Cultural Commission, which was formed in 1990. This not-for-profit group has developed two themed tours--an arts-and-cultural tour and a food-and-shopping tour, both aimed at the motorcoach market as well as individual tourists. These tours follow I-69 from Indianapolis to the northeast corner of the state.

The I-69 Cultural Commission has produced regional maps highlighting museums, galleries, antiques malls and selected restaurants. An all-new, map-like brochure is due out this month, and a 10-minute videotape is available to group leaders and tour operators. Promoters have targeted residents within a 600-mile radius, with major focus cities including Chicago, St. Louis, Louisville and Cincinnati.

From the south end of the I-69 Cultural Corridor, an arts-and-cultural tour may begin at the Eiteljorg Museum of America Indian and Western Art in downtown Indianapolis. An upcoming exhibition titled "Indiana Collects the West" will present up to 75 paintings and sculptures rarely seen...