Supervisors hear about tourism needs

By Mary Zielinski
Posted 3/1/22

Although greatly affected by the COVID pandemic, Washington County tourism is seeing returns to pre-pandemic levels, especially for road trips, the supervisors learned  Tuesday, March …

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Supervisors hear about tourism needs

Posted

Although greatly affected by the COVID pandemic, Washington County tourism is seeing returns to pre-pandemic levels, especially for road trips, the supervisors learned  Tuesday, March 1.

“There is a lot in the county to draw people, “explained Nancy Roth. managing director of the Kalona Historical Village, “once they learn about it.”

Both she and Michelle Redlinger , executive director of the Washington Chamber of Commerce, detailed everything from museums to food and wineries and more , stressed that promoting all of it is vital.

“So many in our own community do not know what we have here,” said Roth, adding that it is vital to find the best way to get the word out.  Especially without unlimited advertising budgets.

She also described who some have “just seen us [the village] from the highway, stopped in and stayed for  six hours to see everything.” Ironically, the Village also has found visitors from Illinois and Indiana know more about it than local residents.

An equally big attraction is the Kalona Sales Barn, especially for its annual horse sales and connections to the area’s Amish. Interestingly enough, the Barn’s lunch counter with its typical homemade fare, is also an attraction among the business regulars.

There also will be a new museum at the Village, now entering its final phase, that not only covers Kalona history but also the county.

Both she and Redlinger stressed the need for all communities in the county “to work together” to promote everything from museums in each town, dining choices, trails, parks, wineries and recreational opportunities, including the oldest continually operating movie theatre in the world.