Hamilton County selected as destination county for Office of Tourism online video project

INDIANAPOLIS ¬ Student film crews from Ball State University will travel to Hamilton County in late July and early August to scout locations for phase two of a dynamic video project for VisitIndiana.com. This is the second phase in an ongoing partnership between the Indiana Office of Tourism Development and Ball State University.

In addition to Hamilton County, the students also will visit Dubois County, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Hendricks County and Vevay, Indiana. Teams of two students will scout several locations in each area in late July and early August. After developing a script, a crew of up to six students will return in September or early October to film.

“This is an exciting project that provides real-world experience for young talent while creatively showcasing the many tourism businesses that make Indiana a great place to visit,” said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman. “The first series of videos released in May were impressive and I look forward to seeing six more Hoosier communities captured on film.”

Students are charged with creating engaging videos that capture the essence of a trip idea found on VisitIndiana.com. The trip ideas provide suggestions to visitors looking for experiences related to rural destinations, family fun, outdoor recreation and sports, romantic retreats, girlfriend getaways and arts and culture.

The new videos will be placed on the popular Trip Ideas section of VisitIndiana.com alongside the eight videos produced in 2010. They will launch in spring 2012 with significant online media and public relations support from the Indiana Office of Tourism Development.

“Encouraging more people to visit Hamilton County and other destinations across Indiana has a positive and significant impact on the recovery of the Indiana economy,” said Brenda Myers, Executive Director, Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are thrilled to partner with the Indiana Office of Tourism and Ball State University to visually showcase the many destinations within Hamilton County’s 8 Great Towns as well as the heritage of the area.”

The video project was made possible through a grant from the Indiana Office of Tourism Development to Building Better Communities at Ball State University. Local convention and visitors bureaus also provided support.

Indiana welcomes more than 62 million visitors each year, generating more than $10 billion in visitor spending statewide. Tourism contributes $365 million in total to the Hamilton County economy, directly supporting more than 4,000 jobs and $82 million in wages.

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For more information:
Lisa Sirkin Vielee
317.979.4424
lvielee@8greattowns.com
lisa@graciecomm.com