COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik today announced that the state will revive the popular “Ohio, The Heart of it All” tagline to promote Ohio not only as a great place to visit, but also as a great place to live, learn, work, and raise a family.
The announcement was made at the Greater Cleveland Convention Center during Ohio Tourism Day.
“As Ohio evolves into a powerhouse for technology and innovation, we’re looking at the classic “Ohio, The Heart of it All” tagline in a new way,” said Governor DeWine. “Our state is thriving, and we want the world to know that Ohio is the heart of technology, the heart of opportunity, the heart of adventure, and the heart of family. This is a brand for all of Ohio, uniting everything we love about our great state under one powerful phrase.”
The state’s new marketing strategy will be holistic, encompassing the message that Ohio offers job opportunities, family-friendly communities, and a great quality of life in addition to incredible tourism-related events, destinations, and attractions.
“Tourism is big business in Ohio, but it’s only part of the puzzle,” said Lt. Gov. Husted. “We want to be champions for the state of Ohio. Moving forward, we’re going to be more intentional about attracting not only visitors, but also people who want to live, learn, and work here.”
“The tourism and economic development messages can’t be separated anymore,” said Ohio Department of Development Director Mihalik. “The ‘Ohio, The Heart of it All’ theme reinforces the idea that people can have amazing adventures and memorable moments by visiting here, but they also can build their careers, their homes, and their families here.”
The return of the “Ohio, The Heart of it All” tagline comes at a time when Ohio’s tourism industry is thriving. In 2022, Ohio’s tourism industry captured a record $53 billion in visitor spending and welcomed 233 million visitors from Ohio and other states. The industry also supported 424,339 seasonal, part-time, and full-time jobs. These are solid increases over 2021’s numbers, when Ohio’s tourism industry generated $46.9 billion in visitor spending, welcomed 219 million visitors, and supported 411,000 seasonal, part-time, and full-time jobs.
TourismOhio also reported the return on investment from marketing efforts in 2022. For every $1 the state invested in tourism marketing in 2022, it generated $73 in direct visitor spending and $5 in taxes inside the state.
The state is confident that the new “Ohio, The Heart of it All” tagline will help attract even more visitors and businesses to Ohio in the years to come.