Photo courtesy of FCCFA
New visitor experiences build on Ohio’s record-setting tourism economy and encourage convention attendees to explore more of the state
Every year, millions of visitors travel to Columbus for conventions, trade shows, sporting events and meetings. Beginning this summer, those visitors will be greeted with a new invitation: discover more of Ohio.
The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) and the Ohio Department of Development today announced a new destination marketing partnership designed to elevate Ohio tourism, strengthen statewide visitor promotion efforts and showcase the “Ohio, The Heart of It All” brand inside one of Ohio’s largest visitor gateways.
The announcement comes as Ohio celebrates another record year for tourism. Newly released data from TourismOhio shows the state welcomed a record 245 million visits in 2025, generating a record $58 billion in economic impact, supporting more than 447,000 jobs and producing $4.8 billion in state and local tax revenue. The new partnership builds on that momentum by inspiring visitors who are already in Ohio to extend their stay, explore new communities, and return for future trips.
Visitors to the convention center will now experience Ohio, The Heart of It All throughout the facility through immersive wallscapes, destination-focused digital displays, travel inspiration, and the official renaming of the convention center’s central ballroom as the Heart of It All Ballroom – placing Ohio’s signature tourism brand at the very heart of the convention center.
“The Greater Columbus Convention Center welcomes visitors from around the world and often one of the first places people experience when visiting Columbus and Ohio,” said Ken Paul, Executive Director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority. “This partnership creates a unique opportunity to showcase the places, experiences and communities that define Ohio while enhancing the visitor experience inside one of the state’s most significant tourism assets.”
As the largest convention center in the state, more than one million visitors pass through the Greater Columbus Convention Center each year, serving as one of the region’s most important tourism and economic development assets. Through the new partnership, visitors will encounter Ohio-inspired storytelling, destination promotion and immersive branding designed to reinforce Ohio’s identity as a welcoming place to visit, work, and explore.
“Tourism is one of Ohio’s strongest economic engines, and every visitor represents an opportunity,” said Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “The Greater Columbus Convention Center already brings people to our state. This partnership helps us inspire those visitors to stay a little longer, explore a little farther, and discover the communities, businesses, and experiences that make Ohio so special.”
The agreement establishes Ohio, The Heart of It All naming rights, advertising services, and coordinated destination marketing throughout the convention center. It also builds on an existing economic development agreement between the FCCFA and the State of Ohio by applying the value of promotional assets toward existing obligations while expanding statewide tourism promotion. The partnership extends through March 31, 2031, with opportunities for future collaboration.
“The best tourism investment isn’t always convincing someone to come to Ohio—sometimes it’s helping someone who’s already here discover one more reason to come back,” said Sarah Wickham, State Tourism Director. “We want to meet visitors who are already here in that moment of curiosity and inspire them to discover one more downtown, one more park, one more restaurant, and one more unforgettable Ohio experience. Those experiences create memories that bring people back.”
The partnership reflects TourismOhio’s broader strategy of encouraging visitors to experience more of the state by connecting them with destinations and experiences beyond their original travel plans. Newly released visitor research reinforces that opportunity: 93 percent of overnight visitors say they are likely to return to Ohio within the next 12 months, demonstrating the value of creating memorable experiences that inspire repeat visitation and continued economic growth.
