LAFAYETTE-WEST LAFAYETTE (January 24, 2019) – A new economic impact report released by Lt. Gov Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) documents the growing impact tourism has on the Indiana economy. The report shows travel, tourism and hospitality supports over 6,107 jobs and contributes $396.9 million in spending by visitors to Tippecanoe County’s economy. This study used data from 2017; the most recent year complete data was available.

The Indiana tourism study indicates that travel, tourism and hospitality in 2017 set another record with 80 million visitors up 3.7% from 2016. Indiana tourism supports over 199,830 full time jobs and contributes $12.7 billion in spending by visitors to Indiana’s economy. This study represents the seventh year in a row of spending gains by visitors to Indiana destinations. Indiana tourism generated more than $1.4 billion in state and local tax receipts. Visitor spending added $9.8 billion to the state’s gross domestic product. Tourism is now the 10th largest private sector employer in the state.

Here are some of the highlights of the report for Tippecanoe County:

  • In 2017 tourism spending in Tippecanoe County was $396.9 million, up 4.3% from 2016. Of every dollar spent by visitors in Tippecanoe County, 59¢ stayed local. The total economic impact is $232.6 million.
  • Tourism supported 6,107 jobs in Tippecanoe County, 4,956 direct jobs.
  • Tippecanoe County tourism generated $137.0 million in total wages and proprietor income.
  • Tippecanoe County tourism generated over $72 million in total taxes in 2017, $44.1 million in state and local taxes.
  • Food & Beverage accounts for the largest share of tourism spending in Tippecanoe County, totaling 37% of visitor expenditures.
  • If Tippecanoe County tourism did not exist, each of the 75,912 households in the county would have to pay an additional $582 per year in taxes to maintain current state & local tax levels.

“This research helps VLWL see how our tourism impact is growing in Tippecanoe County as well as verses other counties in Indiana. It gives us info on how visitors are spending their dollars and how many jobs tourism in Tippecanoe County create,” shares Jo Wade, Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette President. “It tells us revenue collected from tourism in Tippecanoe County is sufficient to support 4,558 Indiana public school students, helping to create a positive way of life for all who live here.”

The study was commissioned by IOTD and conducted by Rockport Analytics, an independent market research and consulting company that specializes in economic impact and feasibility studies for the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.