With so many unique communities and destinations in Ohio, a variety of festivals and events generate visitor spending throughout the year. Whether it is the leisure traveler or the business traveler, festivals and events are great attractions that contribute to Ohio's growing tourism industry.

Festivals and events can attract visitors to a destination, extend a visitor's length of stay, and showcase a community's culture and heritage. The result is increased visitor spending in a community.

Ohio tourism has continued to grow throughout the years because of many businesses and organizations working together to attract visitors and provide exceptional experiences for day trip and overnight travelers. The sections on the "Industry Resources" portion of the Ohio Tourism Toolbox provide resources for many different professionals that come together to make Ohio tourism one of the largest industries in the state. While each section focuses on a specific group of professionals, much can be learned from seeing the industry from various points of view.

Another topic of particular interest for event planners on the Ohio Tourism Toolbox is the Meeting Planner portion of the webpage, Industry Resources for Travel Agents, Tour Operators, and Meeting Planners.

• How to Develop Festivals and Events
• Resources for Industry Professionals
• Resources for Educators and Researchers

How To Develop Festivals & Events

Connect with the many resources available through the Ohio Tourism Division, such as:
- Sign up to receive BuckeyeLine
- Check out the Tourism Division Partnership Opportunities
- Submit information for the Buckeye Database

Here are a few resources from the The National Trust for Historic Preservation
101 Creative Community Celebration Ideas
Consider your options and decide what kind of event or celebration is right for you
Find out about the responsibilities that the event manager will be taking on
Understand what it will take to put the event together
Develop a checklist to implement and evaluate the event
Learn about 12 ways that you can “kill a festival”
Consider the “Top 8 Do’s and Don'ts in Event Planning"

Promote your festivals, events, and attractions through the Ohio Tourism Division.

Resources for Industry Professionals

The Ohio Festivals and Events Association
This association provides opportunities to exchange information and ideas with other festivals/event representatives and acts as a clearinghouse for solutions to the common problems encountered in the festival & event business.
International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA)

Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors (ACCED)
ACCED Region 8 Events (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan & Kentucky)
AMC Institute (AMC)
Alliance of Meeting Management Consultants (AMMC)
American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)
Association for Convention Operations Management (ACOM)
Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)
Entertainment Services & Technology Association (ESTA)
Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA)
Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA)
Financial and Insurance Conference Planners (FICP)
Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association (HCEA)
International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM)
International Association of Conference Centers (IACC)
International Association for Exhibitions and Events (IAEE)
International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE)
International Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals (IAHMP)
International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO)
International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB)
International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)
International Special Events Society (ISES)
Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
National Business Travel Association (NBTA)
National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP)
National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA)
National Speakers Association (NSA)
National Speakers Association (Ohio Chapter)
NW Business for Culture and the Arts (NWBCA)
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA)
Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)
Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE)
Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA)
Travel Industry Association (TIA)

Resources for Educators & Researchers

Event Management Journal
International Conference on Festivals & Events Research (ICFER)