Last fall, eight parks in three counties became the “Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks” World Heritage listing. With five of those parks in Ross County, local businesses are being informed of opportunities in the anticipated increase in tourism.
Matt MacLaren, travel and tourism policy director for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, was the third speaker in the seminar “World Heritage: It’s Everyone’s Business” in Chillicothe’s Majestic Theatre on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
MacLaren pointed out that all eight parks are unique and significant, but Ross County has the only national park among the sites, as well as 5/8ths of the World Heritage designation – so the county and Chillicothe stand out.
He says there are only 1,200 World Heritage sites in the world, 25 in the United States…and only the first in Ohio.
MacLaren’s role in the Ohio Chamber is “to help promote the state of Ohio, and economic development through tourism all across the state. Tourism is a growing industry in Ohio.” He says when we have funding for tourism projects, that helps bring visitors in – which means new money for the state economy.
There were about 48,000,000 overnight visitors in 2023 – a new record, he says, that is even better then pre-COVID. He agrees that it might be that people are not just returning to traveling, but want to be cooped up even less than before.
He says Chillicothe and Ross County already have wonderful attractions, but now there is the World Heritage designation. Ross County is said to be the epicenter the Hopewell Culture, but now it can also be the epicenter of the expected World Heritage tourism.
Also, the WH sites outside of Ross County have less infrastructure, so the Chillicothe area is better prepared to take advantage of it. MacLaren says the connections are here to develop, to create more reasons for travelers to visit – and spend – in Chillicothe and Ross County.
Hear MacLaren in his own words in the video interview in the article on the Scioto Post. Also learn more in the other two of my three stories on this seminar: World Heritage: It’s Everyone’s Business in Chillicothe and Ross County and Ross County’s National Park in “World Heritage: It’s Everyone’s Business”.
Learn more on the Ohio Chamber of Commerce: website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter / X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Follow on social media @ohiochamber.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.