Quality of place: for the first time, substantial state support will be used for the development of our tourism product.

• Author: Peters, Marty
• Position: Viewpoint

TRAVEL AND TOURISM IS the world's largest industry. Here in Indiana, tourism plays a vital role in our state's economy, accounting for 94,000 Hoosier jobs and $6.5 billion in visitor spending each year.

Tourism in Indiana has been a resilient industry--weathering the aftermath of September 11, 2001, and the economic downturn of months past--all good reasons why we must continue to embrace what makes Indiana a great place to visit and a great place to call home. In March, Lt. Gov. Kathy Davis announced the allocation of $600,000 toward a new program, the Quality of Place Initiative. For the first time, substantial state support will be used for the development of our tourism product. These competitive dollars will provide funding to support the efforts of local communities and regional tourism groups as they engage in strategic planning for capital projects.

We also continue to locus on getting the word out about what Indiana has to offer. One of the most common reactions I hear from visitors is that they are pleasantly surprised by the variety of experiences we have to offer, including our scenic beauty, arts and cultural opportunities and historic sites.

We recently launched a new television and radio campaign highlighting a sampling of Indiana's unique features--the Indiana Dunes State Park, the Paramount Theatre and Blue Springs Cavern, to name a few. This is just one of the many marketing and promotional strategies we implement in conjunction with our partners at...