Grand Lake Visitors Center presents warm welcome
The Grand Lake region has a lot to offer, and the Grand Lake Region Visitors Center is trying to let people know all about it. Executive Director Donna Grube has been on job at the Visitors Center for nearly twenty years, and she says she has the best job in the world.
“Its great. I get to talk to people and tell them all about the lake and what you can do here,” said Grube.
Grube said that the Grand Lake Region Visitors Center is a 501c6 organization, which means that they’re a private organization, but also funded by tax dollars.
“There is a lodging tax on hotels, cabins, and short term rentals of 3% that goes to the counties, and then they give that to us,” Grube explained.
The visitors center doesn’t do its own events, but promotes those in the area, with its board being made up volunteers from Auglaize and Mercer counties.
“We have a big digital presence, publications, and of course our website. People may not realize that we also do group tours, information packets,” said Grube, then continued. “Any way we can try to get people here, or if they’re already here, we try to give them information so they can have a better experience.”
The visitors center promotes visiting both Auglaize and Mercer Counties.
Grube’s biggest hope when she started was an extensive list.
“Breweries, wineries, chocolate shops. Things that we didn’t have that visitors would enjoy doing,” said Grube. In those twenty years though, things have changed and she’s seen a lot of those hopes, become a reality. “Now we’ve got all kinds of stuff here. My biggest hope now is that the quality of the lake water continues to improve, because that’s always good. People are attracted to places like that, and it leads to more development.”
Grube also pointed out that they’re fortunate the State Park owns a lot of land around the lake, and that it can’t be over-developed into a tourist trap.
Last year the Visitors Center was busy promoting the new Boardwalk Village, festivals, and what Grube described as ‘special events’. “Special events are the main reason people travel in the state of Ohio. When I say travel, I mean more than fifty miles,” stated Grube. She noted that October Fest, Summer Moon Fest, and the Lake Festival sees people coming from all parts of the state. “We’ve really been promoting the lake itself. We’ve really stepped that up, and have expanded our traditional advertising elements to reach a larger audience.”
This upcoming year the region is set to host the Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel Show.
“Its the largest travel show of its kind,” noted Grube. The area will also see the AAA Great Vacation Travel Show. Grube noted that both shows are returning this year, after being successful last year.
“Our biggest draw are the Amphicars. To have twenty, thirty, or forty of them bopping around on the lake is very engaging. People really enjoy seeing them,” said Grube of the most popular annual attraction at the lake. The future is also looking bright for the region as well as Grube noted that there is a lot of interest in bringing more events to the lake.