Tourism is becoming increasingly important to the U.S. economy. A conservative estimate from the Federal Reserve Board, based on 2000 data, shows that basic travel and tourism industries accounted for 3.6 percent of all U.S. employment. Even more telling, data from the Travel Industry Association of America indicate that 1 out of every 18 people in the U.S. has a job directly resulting from travel expenditures. Watch for updates from the Ohio Tourism Team.

Ohio Ranks in the Top 5 States for Direct Farm Sales

According to the Census of Agriculture, Ohio farmers reported over $37 million in direct farm sales for 2002, up 19% from 1997. The number of farms engaged in direct marketing is also on the rise with more than 6,200 farms reporting direct sales in 2002.