Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jill Boggs discusses tourism with the Kosciusko County Council Thursday, Oct. 11.

WARSAW — Members of the Kosciusko County Council heard a presentation Thursday night, Oct. 11 on the impact of tourism on the local economy.

Jill Boggs, executive director of the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the council that tourism and the travel industry had infused the county with $184.5 million in 2017. The data was collected to help support what Boggs calls destination marketing.

“It is critical that we, as destination marketers, invest and research the measured data of travel and tours and industry in our county,” Boggs said.

Boggs, in her third year with the CVB, told the council that officials concerned about local economics can count tourism as a viable contributor to local industries.

“I think this data shows that tourism is a large and growing industry in our county,” Boggs said. “But, we want it to be larger.”

Visitors to the county spent money on food and beverage, attractions, lodging, shopping, transportation and souvenirs, according to Boggs’ report. The total amount generated in the county rose from $162.2 million in 2015. Boggs reported that in Kosciusko County, 2,096 jobs are made possible by the tourism industry.

“I think it’s vital that we continue to invest and support destination marketing efforts, as well as destination development efforts to motivate our visitors to see our county as the place to experience, all in the hopes that they will spend the night and spend money while they’re here,” Boggs said.

In other business, County Administrator Marsha McSherry, told the council that progress is continuing to the improvements for the county highway department’s headquarters on Old Road 30.