Destination Toledo Welcomes Heartland Travel Showcase

From March 7-9, 2025, Toledo will host the Heartland Travel Showcase at the Glass City Center and various local attractions. This annual group tour tradeshow, produced by Ohio Travel Association, focuses on the Heartland region of the United States, encompassing Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Ontario. The event facilitates scheduled appointments between motorcoach and tour operators and representatives from group travel destinations and attractions.

"We are thrilled to hold the Heartland Travel Showcase in Toledo this year," said Janet Johnson, Deputy Director of the Ohio Travel Association and Heartland Travel Showcase. “This conference is very important to our association, and we couldn’t be more confident and pleased to be working with Lance Woodworth and the Destination Toledo team on our event. This show is bringing in attendees from 14 states plus Canada. We are thrilled to have them experience the beautiful revitalization of Toledo!”

Beyond appointments and professional networking, attendees will have ample opportunities to experience some of Toledo’s most popular attractions, dining, and entertainment, all hosted by Destination Toledo. A site tour and opening celebration will include visits to the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, National Museum of the Great Lakes, Hollywood Casino Toledo, Huron Street Studios and Glass City Metropark. Guests will enjoy local favorites and connect with local businesses including Toledo Spirits Co., Tony Packo’s, Sauder Village, Book that DJ, Maumee Bay Brewing Company and over 20 others. Opening Celebrations will take place at Hensville, with entertainment highlighted by a performance from a local jazz legend, Ramona Collins.

As this year's host city, Toledo offers influential tour operators a firsthand look at its excellent options for group travel, aiming to attract more visitors and tours to the region. Visitor travel significantly supports the local economy, with Lucas County currently welcoming 15.9 million visitors each year, resulting in $1.8 billion in visitor spending.