Ohio woman’s job is about promoting Fairfield County
LANCASTER − Jonett Haberfield is all about promoting the places and events in Fairfield County.
As executive director of Visit Fairfield County, that is her job. Haberfield has held her position for eight years. She had been working in her native Cambridge with the Dickens Victorian Village for about nine years. She was asked to consult with the visitors bureau here when it was changing directors and was later hired.
“Our primary responsibility is to promote the fun things to do here in Fairfield County, including parks and businesses and events,” Haberfield said. “All the things the things that bring people to the county. But we also promote things for local people as well. We highlight the things that people can do in their leisure time.”
Visit Fairfield County also creates various events. Haberfield’s job demands that she’s out in the community and not just in the office.
“I’m out a lot because we don’t know what’s happening unless we’re out talking to people and meeting people,” she said. “A lot of people submit events to us, but we really learn more about the county when we’re out in the county. I participate in all the chamber (of commerce) events, both here and in Pickerington and in Bremen.
“I go to Canal (Winchester) business meetings, Amanda business meetings so that I can learn what’s happening in the community and figure out how we can help them market their businesses and events. Tourism is an economic generator, so I can’t promote things I don’t know about. I have to get out in the county to learn what’s happening.”
Haberfield said being organized and being creative are the top two job skills she must have.
“You have to be able to think from a marketing perspective and think about what a visitor would like, what a local person would like, what’s the best avenue to promote things,” she said. “You have to be skilled in terms of marketing. I have to know how to reach people and how to get the word out to the right groups of people.”
To prepare for her career, Haberfield studied travel and tourism and hospitality management at Hocking College. She then studied business administration at Franklin University. Haberfield was also a tour operator for many years and was an event planner. Additionally, she worked in the hotel business upon graduating from college.
“The work here at the visitors bureau is great because I’m not only promoting tourism, but I’m promoting the community and having an impact on the success of businesses by bringing tourists to them,” she said. “Which means they’re making more money and they’re able to stay in business. It’s very rewarding in that respect that the things I do can actually have an impact on how a community gets revitalized and becomes successful.”
Away from work, Haberfield enjoys traveling and gardening.
“My husband (John) always jokes that even when we’re traveling I’m still working because I’m always thinking, ‘How could we do this back at home?’ she said. “My eye is always looking through that lens of a tourist.” jbarron@gannett.com
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Twitter/x: @Jeffdbarron